Bryce Elder Set For Nationals Vs Braves Opener On Friday Night
Bryce Elder is expected to take the mound when nationals vs braves opens Friday night in Washington. The Braves start the series after beating the Marlins and sitting alone with the best run differential in MLB.
Bryce Elder And The Braves
The right-hander is the likely starter as Atlanta begins a new series against the Nationals on May 22, 2026, at 7:15 pm EDT. The Braves had reached 35 wins the fastest since their rebuild ended in 2018, and Elder would give them a rotation turn that has already carried real volume this season.
Elder has 1.4 fWAR and an expected ERA of 3.02, both signs that his 2026 run has outpaced his earlier ceiling. His previous high was 1.8 fWAR in 2023, while his best xERA before this season was 4.29 in 2022.
Miles Mikolas And Atlanta Bats
Washington is set to counter with Miles Mikolas, whose 6.91 ERA in 41.2 innings, 1.488 WHIP, 6.20 FIP and 10.4 hits per nine innings point to a rough season on the mound. That sets up a lineup test for a Braves offense that has scored the second most runs in MLB.
Atlanta has a clear track record against Mikolas. Matt Olson has 15 at-bats against him with two home runs and a 1.067 OPS, Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuña are tied for the most at-bats against him with 20 each, and Acuña has a.400 OPS in the matchup. Albies owns a.674 OPS and one home run, while Michael Harris has hit.455 in 11 at-bats.
Nationals Offense, Braves Response
The matchup brings together the top two offenses in the league by runs, with the Nationals leading MLB and the Braves right behind them. Washington also enters with the second worst ERA in MLB, so the first few innings will tell whether Atlanta can keep its series push moving with another scoring night.
Chadwick Tromp is set to make his first start of the year, giving the Braves another lineup wrinkle behind Elder’s expected start. Acuña was not yet set to play on May 22, so Atlanta may have to lean on the bats it does have rather than the full group it could have sent out.
