Philadelphia @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 29, 2016 ) Philadelphia 1, Atlanta 2

Julio Teheran takes the mound for the Atlanta Braves when they host the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, a welcomed sight after the team’s lone All-Star left his last start eight days ago with right lat tightness. Teheran has just three victories on the season but has received the lowest run support among all qualified starters (2.5 per start), and the Braves have stated repeatedly they will not deal their ace in advance of Monday’s trade deadline.

The Braves have struggled scoring and most of their wins have come by slim margins, as 21 of the team’s 36 victories were by two runs or fewer. Atlanta’s 2-1 victory Friday snapped a five-game losing streak to the Phillies, who lost for the ninth time in 13 games and mustered just five hits after averaging nine hits per game over their previous seven contests. The Phillies have averaged nine runners left on base in their past eight games and left 10 on base Friday. Ryan Howard’s pinch-hit double in the ninth improved his career average against the Braves to .280 and he boasts 51 homers in 177 career games against Atlanta.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, NBC 10 (Philadelphia), FSN South (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Jeremy Hellickson (7-7, 3.65 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (3-8, 2.71)

Hellickson’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors leading up to Monday’s deadline and the 29-year-old has provided veteran stability to Philadelphia’s youthful rotation. He is 3-1 with a 1.89 ERA in his past six outings, including a no-decision July 6 against the Braves in which he allowed only one earned run in six innings. Hellickson, who throws his changeup and curveball a combined 43.2 percent of the time to go with a low 90s fastball, is averaging 7.66 strikeouts and 2.01 walks per nine innings -- his best numbers in both categories since 2010.

Odds are Teheran will not reach double-digit victories (which he has achieved in each of the past three seasons), but the 25-year-old continues establishing himself as one of the top hurlers in the National League. Teheran has not surrendered more than three runs or five hits in 13 of his past 15 starts, but is just 3-5 in that stretch despite a 2.15 ERA and a .188 opponents’ batting average. The biggest issue for Teheran this season has been home runs – he has allowed 16 in 20 starts, including nine in his past nine outings.

WALK-OFFS

1. One night after going 3-for-4 in his season debut, Philadelphia RF Aaron Altherr went 0-for-4 with a strikeout Friday.

2. Atlanta CF Ender Inciarte extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a 1-for-4 performance, and has recorded at least one hit in 16 of his past 17 contests.

3. Braves RF Nick Markakis went 3-for-3 Friday, and is hitting .347 in his past 14 games.

PREDICTION: Braves 3, Phillies 2