Atlanta will send right-hander Ian Anderson (5-3, 3.33 ERA) to the mound Saturday for his 15th start of the season. In his most recent outing, in the second game of a doubleheader against the New York Mets on Monday, Anderson allowed just three hits in 5 1/3 shutout innings to get the win, striking out five and walking one.
Cincinnati counters with right-hander Luis Castillo (2-10, 5.61 ERA), who will be making his 16th start of the season. Castillo has rebounded since opening the season with a 1-8 record and a 7.22 ERA in 11 starts through May, allowing a .321 opponents' batting average.
The right-hander is 1-2 with a 2.19 ERA in four starts in June, holding opponents to a .155 average.
Castillo has struggled in the first inning this season, posing an ERA of 11.40 in the opening frame and a 4.21 ERA thereafter. Castillo's 22 runs allowed and 19 earned runs allowed in the first inning are the most in the majors. In 2020, he gave up just six runs (five earned) in the first inning of his 12 starts.