Braves and Giants Set for Doubleheader in Atlanta After Rain-Suspended Game

May 18, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Jr. Ritchie (60) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants are scheduled to play nearly two games on Wednesday. With the Giants leading 3-2, the first game of a three-game series in Atlanta was suspended in the middle of the second inning Tuesday night due to rain, and will resume at 2 p.m. ET. The teams will then face off at 7:15 p.m. for the regularly scheduled contest.

Atlanta rookie starter JR Ritchie (1-1, 3.82 ERA) will take the mound for the second game. One of the organization’s top pitching prospects, Ritchie was called up when Spencer Strider was placed on the injured list with right elbow inflammation. In his initial stint with the Braves this season, Ritchie posted a 4.56 ERA across 25⅔ innings. Against the New York Mets last Friday, he delivered five scoreless innings of relief, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out four in a 7-5 loss. Ritchie has never faced the Giants.

San Francisco’s pitching plans were disrupted by the suspension. Veteran left-hander Robbie Ray (4-6, 4.42 ERA), originally unnamed for the night game, will now start the resumed contest. Ray did not factor in the decision during his most recent start against Washington on June 10, working 5⅔ innings and yielding five runs on seven hits with three strikeouts in an 11-10 victory. Career-wise, Ray is 1-4 with a 5.90 ERA against Atlanta in eight previous appearances.

The Giants continue to linger in fourth place in the National League West, 17 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and nine games out of the final wild-card spot. Despite trade speculation surrounding several veterans, manager Tony Vitello emphasized internal focus. “Whether something happens for us or not, I don’t have a lot of control over,” Vitello said. “The thing our team can do is simplify things. As of right now we’re a pretty good team when we score a handful of runs. If we can do that and be prepared on defense behind our pitchers, I like our chances of improving on our record.”

Atlanta’s offense is set to be bolstered by the return of Drake Baldwin, who missed 23 games with a right oblique strain. During his absence, Braves catchers Sandy Leon, Chadwick Tromp, and Austin Wynns combined to hit .110 with a .231 OPS, no runs, and three RBIs. Baldwin’s homer Tuesday marked the longest play of the season at 473 feet to dead center field.

“I feel like our guys have met all the challenges head-on,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “Whether it’s injury-related, travel-related—there’s always challenges along the way in this league. It’s a good group. They show up the right way every day.”

Meanwhile, Giants rookie Bryce Eldridge extended his on-base streak to 21 games Tuesday, the longest such stretch by a San Francisco player since Matt Duffy’s 20-game run in 2015. For players 21 or younger, it ranks as the longest in the majors over the past 95 years, putting Eldridge 4 games shy of matching Willie McCovey’s 25-game streak set in 1959.

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