Elder rolls in at 5-3 with a 2.66 ERA and a 6-inning, 2-run no-decision against the Pirates in his last outing — exactly the kind of contact-managing start the Braves need given how thin the rotation just got. Peralta counters at 4-5, 4.04, and his last time out was a 6-run rough one against the Cardinals at home. The price reflects it: Mets a slight home chalk, Braves basically a coin flip on the moneyline.
The bigger Atlanta story isn't Sunday's starter — it's Friday's. Spencer Strider was pulled in the 4th with right arm soreness, his velocity sitting 88-89 after living 92-96 in the early innings, and the Braves dropped him on the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation. That moves a rotation that already had Schwellenbach, Smith-Shawver and Murphy on the shelf from "thin" to "hold your breath every 5th day." Ronald Acuna Jr. is also day-to-day with hamstring tightness, so Walt Weiss is patching this together.
- Day-To-DayBlake Burkhalter RP — Triple-A Gwinnett placed Burkhalter on the 7-day injured list March 27 with back spasms, Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline reports.
- 10-Day-ILDrake Baldwin C — Baldwin (oblique) will report to Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday to begin a rehab assignment, Barrett Sallee of 680 The Fan Atlanta reports.
- 10-Day-ILRonald Acuna Jr. RF — Manager Walt Weiss said after Tuesday's game against the White Sox that Acuna is day-to-day with left hamstring tightness, Barrett Sallee of 680 The Fan Atlanta reports.
- 10-Day-ILKyle Farmer DH — Farmer went 1-for-3 with a double, a run scored and two RBI in Sunday's rout of the Guardians.
- 15-Day-ILSpencer Strider SP — Strider was removed from Friday's game against the Mets due to right arm soreness.
- 15-Day-ILTyler Kinley RP — Kinley (4-2) picked up the win over the Nationals on Friday, striking out two in a perfect 11th inning.
- suspensionJurickson Profar LF — Profar will miss the full 2026 season after the appeal of his 162-game PED suspension was denied Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILSean Murphy C — Murphy had the cast on his left hand removed Tuesday and is now wearing a splint to protect his fractured middle finger, Grant McAuley of the Marietta Daily Journal reprots.
- Day-To-DayBrandon Waddell RP — Waddell (shoulder) picked up the win after allowing three runs on four hits while striking out two across three innings during Saturday's game against Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre.
- Day-To-DayAdbert Alzolay RP — The Mets reassigned Alzolay to minor-league camp Tuesday.
- Day-To-DayMike Tauchman RF — Tauchman (knee) is still rehabbing at the Mets' spring training complex and has yet to resume baseball activities, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.
- Day-To-DayGrae Kessinger 3B — no
- Day-To-DayJoe Jacques RP — The Mets signed Jacques to a minor-league contract Wednesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayKevin Herget RP — Herget signed a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training with the Mets on Thursday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
- Day-To-DayJose Rojas 3B — Triple-A Salt Lake placed Rojas on its COVID-19 injured list Sunday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
- 10-Day-ILFrancisco Lindor SS — Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Friday that he expects Lindor (calf) to return "this month," Chelsea Janes of SNY.tv reports.
The Mets aren't exactly whole either. Francisco Lindor (calf) is still out but David Stearns said Friday he expects him back "this month." Jorge Polanco is on the IL, Kodai Senga needs another rehab start before activation, and the offense looked it on Saturday — Eli White did most of the damage and Michael Harris II tagged a 392-foot homer off the second deck in right while Carlos Mendoza's group managed one run. At 31-39, New York can't keep splitting the difference against the team with the best record in baseball.
Saturday's loss was the Mets' offense in a nutshell: not enough traffic, not enough damage. They did punch out a 7-5 win in the opener Friday, so the bats aren't dead, but going 1-for-2 against an Elder type who pitches to contact means staying out of double plays and actually stringing some at-bats together. Peralta's stuff plays up at home when he's missing bats; when he's not, it gets loud, like it did against St. Louis.
This is also a vibes game for Atlanta. The Braves dropped 3 of 4 to the White Sox earlier in the week (including a tie), and Friday's blowout looked like the wheels coming off until Eli White and Harris bailed them out Saturday. A series win on the road with Strider going on the IL would be the kind of "we're fine" stamp the NL East leader needs. A loss and the noise around the rotation gets a lot louder heading into next week.