Major League Baseball

Padres-Braves preview

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:33 p.m. ET

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ATLANTA -- Two pitchers who are expected to be a big part of their teams' rotation for the foreseeable future will meet Thursday in the final game of the three-game series at Turner Field.

Padres right-hander Jarred Cosart (0-1, 4.23 ERA) will take the mound for San Diego's final appearance of the season at Turner Field, while Mike Foltynewicz (7-5, 4.30 ERA) will make the start for Atlanta.

Cosart will make his sixth start with the Padres since he was acquired from the Miami Marlins as part of a seven-player trade on July 29. Cosart, 26, has shown his potential since coming over to the West Coast, allowing one earned run or fewer in four of his previous five starts.

Cosart did not receive a decision his most recent outing on Sunday against his former club. He pitched five innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits and three strikeouts during a game the Padres lost 7-5. His start was shortened because of a blister.

"I was starting to get into a good rhythm," he said. "Things were working. I had a good game plan going in. For the most part, I was executing it pretty well, and then it just started rubbing on me a little bit, started stinging. Felt like it was the right time to get me out before it got to where it ripped off."

The blister isn't expected to be an issue Thursday.

In four career starts against the Braves, Cosart is 3-0 with a 2.63 ERA. The one no-decision came on April 17, when he gave up five runs (four earned) and walked six in 5 2/3 innings during a 6-5 Miami loss.

Foltynewicz was acquired by Atlanta before the start of the 2015 season as the centerpiece of a deal that sent slugger Evan Gattis to the Houston Astros. The hard-throwing right-hander possesses a mid-90s fastball and has learned to pitch deeper into a game, something that hurt him a year ago.

Foltynewicz pitched 7 2/3 innings in his last start on Saturday against the San Francisco Giants. He allowed a second-inning homer to Brandon Crawford but otherwise retired 15 of the first 18 batters he faced. The old Foltynewicz might have come unglued by the homer, but he was able to shake it off and get back to business.

"A couple starts before this, I might have gotten a little upset and then maybe the next guy would have been walked," he said. "But after that, I just settled down, kept attacking and kept the same game plan. I didn't shy away from anything there."

In his lone career appearance against San Diego, Foltynewicz allowed five runs and a career-high-tying 12 hits in 5 2/3 innings during a no-decision on June 9, 2015.

Both teams are expected to make moves when rosters are allowed to expand Thursday. Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said the Braves likely will activate catcher A.J. Pierzynski (hamstring) and reliever Chris Withrow (elbow) from the disabled list, but they aren't likely to raid the minor league system until teams are through with their playoffs.

San Diego is expected to recall left-handed reliever Ryan Buchter from Triple-A El Paso on Thursday. Infielder Alexi Amarista, on the DL due to a strained hamstring, is expected to join the Padres when they return to the West Coast to play the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Friday. Infielder Jemile Weeks, also rehabbing a strained hamstring, is also expected to be added when he is healthy.