Atlanta Braves vs New York Yankees Prediction & Match Preview - April 2nd | MLB Spring Training 2022
The New York Yankees will return home to their Spring Training facility in Tampa to host the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night. The Yankees have been outscored 16-6 in their last two games and will be looking to get things back in order during this last weekend of the Grapefruit League. The game will take place at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
The Atlanta Braves, meanwhile, have also dropped their last two, with an aggregate score of 15-8 against the Atlanta ball club.
Neither of these teams will meet in this year's regular season, so both will be trying to get each other's numbers on Saturday evening.
Match Details
Fixture: Atlanta Braves vs New York Yankees
Date & Time: Saturday, April 2, 6:05 p.m. EDT
Venue: George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, Florida
Atlanta Braves Preview
The Atlanta Braves have had a mediocre Spring Training session. They are 6-6, and currently hitting .246 as a team. The spring squad has come to look more and more like their Opening Day lineup.
Big hitters like Matt Olson and Adam Duvall have been leading the way. Between the two 2021 Braves home run leaders, they have already hit eight RBIs in 17 total games.
Pitching has stung a little more. Ian Anderson, who the Braves have big hopes for this season, has pitched only five innings and allowed six earned runs, two of which were dingers.
Atlanta Braves Key Player - Austin Riley
Finally, a player whose Spring Training production comes as no surprise! The Braves are getting the third baseman for $4 million this year. It's a veritable steal when one considers Riley hit .274 with 32 homeruns and 97 RBIs last season. So far in Spring Training, Riley has picked up where he left off. The 25-year-old has hit two home runs and four RBIs in 19 at-bats. With his contract up at the end of the year, Riley will be a player to watch for the entire season.
Austin Riley crushed a ball to deep center field, but Byron Buxton took a hit away with a great catch near the wall.
Regardless, Riley is hammering the ball this spring.
"Austin Riley crushed a ball to deep center field, but Byron Buxton took a hit away with a great catch near the wall. Regardless, Riley is hammering the ball this spring." - @ Justin Toscano
Atlanta Braves Predicted Lineup
- DH Orlando Arcia
- 1B Matt Olson
- 3B Austin Riley
- LF Marcel Ozuna
- 2B Ozzie Albies
- RF Alex Dickerson
- CF Adam Duvall
- SS Dansby Swanson
- C Manny Pina
New York Yankees Preview
The New York Yankees will be looking to rebound after a couple of poor showings. They were thrashed 11-3 by the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night and then upset by the Phillies 5-3 on Thursday. If you haven't caught the double play from that game, you can watch it here.
Despite some harsh losses, the Yankees have been hitting decently. As a team, they have a .259 batting average. However, they are cursed with big swingers and are among the most struck-out teams in the Grapefruit League to this point with 129.
The Yankees have always performed better at George M. Steinbrenner Field and will be keen to get back in the win column.
New York Yankees Key Player - Kyle Higashioka
Catcher Ben Rortvedt came to the Yankees along with Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. When he arrived, it seemed as though he would have a chance at being the starting catcher for the Bronx Bombers. Judging by catcher Kyle Higashioka's performance thus far in Spring Training, that no longer looks to be the case.
Kyle Higashioka’s fourth home run this spring! https://t.co/ijef7x6IWu
"Kyle Higashioka’s fourth home run this spring!" - @ Talkin' Yanks
Higashioka has hit three home runs and nine RBIs in 15 at-bats. He also achieved a SLG of 1.133 in that time. In a season where the catching position left by Gary Sanchez, who went to Minnesota for Ben Rortvedt, has been opened, it looks like Higashioka may be the very man to take over.
New York Yankees Predicted Lineup
- 3B Josh Donaldson
- DH Joey Gallo
- CF Aaron Judge
- RF Giancarlo Stanton
- 2B DJ LeMahieu
- LF Aaron Hicks
- SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa
- 1B Marwin Gonzalez
- C Ben Higashioka
Braves vs Yankees Prediction
Although the Braves are hitting decently, the Yankees will be eager to get wins back. They simply have more firepower and are much harder to beat when at home. Should the New York Yankees run into trouble, their deep bullpen has the goods to carry them out. Our prediction: Yankees. 7-5.
Where to watch The Atlanta Braves vs New York Yankees
Atlanta Braves
TV: FOX SPORTS SOUTH
Livestream: MLB.TV
New York Yankees
TV: YES Network
Livestream: MLB.TV
This game may indeed have the flavor of regular season as more stars and regulars will likely take the field than what we have seen. Both teams have their eyes on their divisions this year, and both have the skills to make it a reality. The New York Yankees failed to make the postseason in 2021.
While the Braves are the defending World Series champions, and although they will have to forge their way through 2022 without Freddie Freeman and some others, they are still a team that can do real damage.
C Manny Pina