Atlanta Braves at Minnesota Twins 2/28/23

The Minnesota Twins host the Atlanta Braves at 1:05 p.m. Tuesday at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida. The scheduled starting pitchers are Ian Anderson for the Braves and Tyler Mahle for the Twins.

Anderson is battling Mike Soroka to be a part of the Braves' starting rotation this season. Anderson was awful last season before being demoted. He made 22 starts, going 10-6 with 5.00 ERA and 1.51 WHIP. He struck out 97 and walked 54 in 111.2 innings. The 24-year-old righthander was much better the previous season when he pitched 128.1 innings, struck out 124 and walked 53 with a 3.58 ERA and 1.23 WHIP.

Mahle started only four games because of injury after the Twins traded for him in August. Now 28, the Minnesota righthander is expected to be a full-timer in the rotation this season. He started 23 games between the Reds and Twins last season, going 6-8 with a 4.40 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He pitched 120.2 innings, striking out 126 and walking 43.

Atlanta went 101-61 in the 2022 season, tying the New York Mets for first in the National League East. The Braves got the bye in the playoffs, while the Mets played in the Wild Card round and lost to the San Diego Padres 2-1. Atlanta won just one of four games against Philadelphia in the Divisional Series round.

The Twins finished 78-84, eight games out of a playoff spot. They were 14 games out of first in the American League Central, finishing behind the Guardians and White Sox.

Minnesota has gone 1-3 so far this spring while scoring 22 runs and giving up 28. Atlanta has played just twice, going 1-1 with 13 runs scored and 13 surrendered. The Twins have not played many regulars thus far while most of the Braves expected top hitters have seen action in both games played. There is a decent chance both teams at least start a handful of their regulars in this one, and we like the Braves to come out on top. Final Score Prediction, Atlanta Braves win 6-5.