Braves @ Astros

Who will WIN this matchup?

Atlanta Braves (88-73)

@ Houston Astros (95-67)

Starting Pitchers:

Fried (ATL): 7-4; 3.14 ERA (road season stats)

Urquidy (HOU) 4-1; 3.35 ERA (home season stats)

Current odds:

Atlanta Braves: (+105)

Houston Astros: (-115)

• Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker had two options to be his starting pitcher for Game 2 of the World Series, and he decided to push back the hotter pitcher to Game 3. Instead of opting for rookie right-hander Luis Garcia, who dazzled in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox, Baker tabbed right-hander Jose Urquidy to start against the visiting Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.

• Urquidy made his last start of the regular season on Oct. 3 against the Oakland Athletics and didn’t appear in Houston’s AL Division Series victory over the Chicago White Sox. The extended stretch between appearances might have played a factor in his performance in Game 3 of the ALCS against the Red Sox on Oct. 18. He allowed six runs (five earned) on five hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings.

• The Astros, down 1-0 in the best-of-seven World Series following a 6-2 loss Tuesday, hope Urquidy can mimic his only previous World Series start. He worked five scoreless innings and allowed two hits with four strikeouts in an 8-1 victory over the Washington Nationals in Game 4 of the 2019 Fall Classic. Urquidy also had a scoreless, two-thirds-of-an-inning relief outing in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series.

• The Braves will counter with ace left-hander Max Fried, who is 1-1 with a 3.78 ERA over three starts this postseason. Fried has incrementally constructed a well of postseason knowledge, with past triumphs and failures shaping his mental approach to each starting assignment.

• After tossing six shutout innings at Milwaukee in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, Fried allowed two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts over six innings in the Braves’ 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series. However, with Atlanta looking to clinch the NLCS in Game 5, Fried allowed five runs on eight hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings during an 11-2 loss. Fried is 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA over 15 career postseason appearances (seven starts). He knows how to approach what comes next.

• There is a heightened sense of preparation against the Astros, whose collective postseason experience will provide a specific challenge for Fried, especially after the Braves won Game 1.