The set-up: The Cincinnati Reds welcomed the Atlanta Braves to Great American Ball Park on Monday for the start of a four-game series with MLB's worst record (3-18). Cincy surprised the Braves with 10-4 and 9-7 (12 inn.) wins in the first two games, before the Braves won 5-4 on Wednesday. Atlanta got a boost from several of their talented young prospects. Outfielder Ronald Acuna, Jr. made his major-league debut in Wednesday's 5-4 victory, contributing an eighth-inning single and scoring the game-tying run before third baseman Johan Camargo doubled home Ozzie Albies with the decisive run in the ninth. Albies and Camargo both made their major-league debuts last season. To cap the victory, rookie A.J. Minter earned his first save as the Braves moved to a surprising 13-10 record on the season. The Reds will try to take this series but despite wins Monday and Tuesday, are just 3-8 at home this season, allowing an average of 5.82 RPG.

The pitching matchup: The Braves will send lefty Sean Newcomb (1-1, 3.74 ERA) to the mound and he will be opposed by the Reds' Homer Bailey (0-3, 3.68 ERA). Newcomb gave up three runs (two earned) in six innings against the Mets on Friday and has struck out six hitters or more in three of his four starts in 2018 (Braves are only 1-3 in those starts). Newcomb, whose lone victory this season featured six scoreless innings at Colorado on April 8, won his only appearance against Cincinnati as a rookie in 2017. Bailey has pitched far better than his record would indicate, as he has surrendered more than three ERs just once in five starts and is holding opposing batters to a .218 average on the season. He settled for a no-decision Saturday at St. Louis, giving up three runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings in a game the Reds would lose 4-3. He owns a 2-2 lifetime record with a 4.54 ERA in six career starts against the Braves but has not faced Atlanta since 2014.

The pick: With the Braves off to an encouraging start, they've decided to speed up the timetable a little and push the future of the franchise into the present. Ronald Acuna Jr., rated the majors' best prospect by multiple scouting outlets and the winner of multiple minor league player of the year awards last season, is now on a big league roster. Acuna's spring training numbers (.432, four HRs & 11 RBI) solidified his status as the top prospect coming into this season other than pitcher-outfielder Shohei Otani of the Los Angeles Angels. Meanwhile, the Reds are now 5-19 and averaged 2.9 runs on 7.3 hits per game during a 3-18 start. However, they have scored 23 runs on 34 hits through the first three games of the series. That's the good news. The bad news is, Cincinnati relievers gave up two runs on six hits in four innings Wednesday, and its bullpen enters the series finale at 2-6 on the season with a 5.34 ERA. Make Atlanta a 10* play.