Braves' Joey Bart returns to San Francisco in series opener

The Atlanta Braves will have revenge on their minds and potentially a familiar face behind the plate when they open a three-game road series against the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.

The matchup will pit two teams that have combined to win just six times since the start of their series last week in Atlanta.

Two of the six wins came when the Giants secured 7-2 and 7-5 victories over the Braves on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week.

Each team has gone 2-4 since.

The Braves are coming off a three-game road sweep by the San Diego Padres. That series saw Joey Bart record his first two hits in an Atlanta uniform, including a home run that produced both of the Braves' runs in a 5-2 defeat Wednesday.

Bart was the Giants' first-round pick in 2018 as they sought a future replacement for star catcher Buster Posey, who was nearing the end of a brilliant 12-year run.

The second overall pick in 2018, Bart never met even the lowest of expectations, hitting .219 with 11 homers over four seasons before getting traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in April 2024.

He was dealt by the Pirates to the Braves earlier this month.

More than his power display, Braves manager Walt Weiss has been impressed with the way Bart has handled his pitchers so far.

"I like the presence," Weiss told reporters in San Diego. "I like the way he looks back there and the way he operates."

If Bart gets the call Friday night, he'll start off working with right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (3-1, 3.50 ERA), who threw to his new catcher in a three-inning relief appearance Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Lopez limited the Brewers to one unearned run on one hit in his 13th straight relief effort after having opened the season in the rotation.

Lopez pitched two shutout innings of relief against the Giants last week. He has faced San Francisco six times in his career, twice as a starter, with a 3.65 ERA and no decisions.

He could see a Giants team with an embarrassment of riches in their outfield if injured Heliot Ramos returns from a rehab stint at Triple-A. The slugger hasn't played for the Giants since May 15 because of a strained right quad.

If Ramos moves back into his regular spot in left field, that would mean redirecting Victor Bericoto, who has hit dramatic home runs in his last two games.

Bericoto is a candidate to move to right field, which in turn likely would push the team's hottest hitter, Jung Hoo Lee, to center.

With high-batting-average second baseman Luis Arraez (.321) also likely to return from a foot injury, Giants manager Tony Vitello said he is looking forward to having all hands on deck as his team seeks to rebound from a disheartening, 9-6 home loss to the Athletics on Thursday.

"It's definitely close," Vitello said when asked about Ramos' return. "I know he's ready. The safest answer I could give you is: I don't see the weekend passing by where he's not part of the team."

Right-hander Trevor McDonald (2-5, 4.93 ERA), who has never faced the Braves, is the Giants' scheduled starter in the series opener.

McDonald fell to 0-5 in his last six outings after allowing five runs (three earned) in three innings of a 6-3 setback to the Miami Marlins on Saturday.

--Field Level Media