Atlanta @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 24, 2015 ) Atlanta 2, St. Louis 4

The ever-evolving nature of the Atlanta Braves roster continues as they play at the St. Louis Cardinals in the middle matchup of a three-game series Saturday, one night after dealing Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson to the Mets during batting practice for two pitching prospects. The Cardinals, owners of baseball’s best record, also jumped into the pre-trade deadline frenzy Friday, acquiring former Miami closer Steve Cishek to bolster their bullpen for the sprint to the postseason.

Any final thoughts Atlanta had of remaining on the outer edge of the National League playoff picture likely were extinguished with the departure of Uribe and Johnson – who combined to hit 16 of the Braves’ major-league low 58 homers. The Braves continue marching through a rebuild pointed toward moving into a suburban stadium in 2017. The Cardinals sit atop the NL Central and, despite owning a league-leading 2.35 bullpen ERA, snagged Cishek, who lost his closer’s job earlier this season after saving 39 games in 2014. Center fielder Randal Grichuk continues sparking the St. Louis offense and belted his 11th homer in Friday’s 4-2 victory to raise his average to .380 with four homers and 13 RBIs in his past 13 games.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Shelby Miller (5-6, 2.33 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (10-4, 2.51)

Miller’s record is no indication of the stellar first season he is constructing in Atlanta, making the National League All-Star team and ranking fifth in the NL in ERA and in WAR for pitchers (3.3). Traded from St. Louis to Atlanta in the offseason, Miller struck out eight but walked four in allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits Sunday against the Cubs. Miller has posted a 1.77 ERA in nine starts where the Braves scored two runs or less, going 0-5 with 11 earned runs allowed in 56 innings.

One of the reasons the Cardinals felt they could deal Miller was their faith in Martinez, and the 23-year-old validated that belief by making the NL All-Star team while easing the pain of missing starters Adam Wainwright and Jaime Garcia. Martinez suffered just his second loss since mid-May in emergency relief Sunday during an 18-inning loss to the Mets, giving up two runs (one earned) in four innings. Martinez is 7-2 in his last 11 starts with a 1.37 ERA and more than three times the strikeouts (78) as walks (25).

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis RF Jason Heyward, who played five seasons with Atlanta before being traded to the Cardinals in the Miller deal, finished 1-for-4 Friday in his first game against his former team.

2. Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman homered during his first rehab game Friday in the Gulf Coast League; the Braves hope Freeman will return from a bruised right wrist late next week.

3. The Cardinals improved to 41-8 when scoring four runs or more and raised their major-league leading home mark to 35-12.

PREDICTION: Braves 3, Cardinals 2