What happened: Tyler Mahle takes the mound for the Atlanta Braves on Thursday in their regular-season home finale against the Cincinnati Reds. Mahle opposes Reds right-hander Brady Singer to conclude Atlanta's regular-season slate at Truist Park.
Why it matters: The start serves as a final tune-up for Mahle before presumably pitching Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Round. The trade deadline acquisition and pending free agent has been dominant since joining Atlanta, positioning himself for a lucrative offseason. Mahle also enters the contest needing to complete six innings to trigger a $1 million incentive.
By the numbers: Since his early August arrival in Atlanta, Mahle has posted a 1.28 ERA and 44 strikeouts over 49 innings, yielding just four home runs. Conversely, Singer brings a 5.67 ERA into Thursday, having surrendered 31 homers across 154 innings for Cincinnati.
What to watch: First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.