Something to watch in Game 2 of the National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves, is Manny Machado against Anibal Sanchez.
Manny Machado crushes Anibal Sanchez, and the Braves could be in trouble
Dodgers SS is 8-for-17 with 4 HR against the Braves Game 2 starter.
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
Machado homered in the first inning against Sanchez on Friday night, and is now 8-for-17 (.471) with four home runs, a double and a walk against Sanchez.
Machado also hit his first home run with the Dodgers back in July against Sanchez in Atlanta.
Head-to-head history isn’t necessarily predictive, but the 1.633 OPS entering Friday sure did stand out, especially with two of the home runs coming during the 2017-18 regular seasons, when Machado was 4-for-6 against the right-hander.
Sanchez has been a nice redemption story in 2018, posting a 2.83 ERA in 25 games, including 24 starts, with nearly as many strikeouts (135) as innings pitched (136). The 34-year-old was released in spring training by the Twins after three straight terrible seasons in Detroit with the Tigers. From 2015-17, among the 78 major league pitchers with at least 400 total innings Sanchez ranked dead last with his 5.67 ERA.
“I have an approach, and I’m just patient enough and just trying to see a good pitch to drive,” Machado said after the game. “It does help a little bit that I’ve seen him quite a bit. But at the end of the day, he has great stuff, and I’m just able to get that one good swing always off of him.”
Machado tied a career high with 37 home runs this season, hitting .297/.367/.538, including .273/.338/.487 with 13 home runs in 66 games since getting traded to the Dodgers. He was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and grounded into a double play in Game 1, so he needed a pick-me-up at the plate. Facing Sanchez gave him that opportunity.
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