The Atlanta Braves finish up their series against the Cincinnati Reds at the Speedway Classic. Saturday night's game is hosted by a NASCAR track with record attendance for one of Major League Baseball's most exciting games. Unfortunately, the star pitching matchup that was expected won't happen. Chase Burns is still the Reds' starter, but Spencer Strider is not pitching for the Braves.
Atlanta and Cincinnati were supposed to kick their game off at 7:15 EST. However, a rain delay at Bristol Motor Speedway bumped the beginning of the game back by a couple of hours. With the rain delay still in place, The Athletic's David O'Brien confirmed that their ace is no longer pitching in the game. He is not hurt, but the delay means that his start has been bumped.
Strider entered Saturday coming off a win against the Kansas City Royals on July 28. Unfortunately, his next start will have to come early next week. However, fans won't get to see him take on one of baseball's young stars in Burns. Despite the latest developments, players on both sides are thrilled to play a game in such a unique location.
Strider's start at a NASCAR track would have been a big moment for the former All-Star. The Braves' ace fought through injury recovery to get back onto the mound and help Atlanta reignite their season. Instead, he joined a struggling roster that is still having issues. A win at the Speedway Classic would have been great for momentum, but Strider won't be a part of it.
Atlanta infielder Ozzie Albies talked about his excitement for the Speedway Classic during the rain delay. Even though one of the game's brightest stars is no longer playing, Saturday night is still going down in MLB history if the rain delay does not postpone the game.
