Atlanta, GA
Atlanta’s Best Arm Snubbed by MLB’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
The Atlanta Braves have had some things not go their way this season.
Top starting pitcher Spencer Strider, who left the home opener complaining of elbow pain that resulted in season-ending elbow surgery, was expected to be the anchor of a rotation that was seen as potentially one of the best in baseball.
Instead, it’s free agent signee Reynaldo López, 2-0 with a 0.72 ERA, that has put up some of the best performances of any starter in all of baseball. He‘s allowed just two earned runs in his first 25 innings (four starts) on the 2024 season, including a thirteen-inning scoreless streak that spanned two full games.
Despite López’s dominance, however, MLB.com’s Starting Pitcher Power Rankings, updated this morning after voting from the staff of MLB.com, don’t have him represented in the top nineteen.
And that feels like an oversight.
It’s actually the third iteration of the rankings for this season – Spencer Strider was at the top of the list prior to Opening Day, but has been removed for obvious reasons – yet López continues to not be recognized for his dominance.
The top ten is full of a lot of names you’d expect – Zach Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies (#1), Tyler Glasnow of the Los Angeles Dodgers (#2), and Corbin Burnes of the Baltimore Orioles (#4) – but one name that got my attention is Boston Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford, who is new to the list for this edition.
Coming in the list at #7, MLB.com notes that he’s currently leading the majors with a 0.66 ERA. Having made five starts covering 27.1 innings, Crawford’s allowed only three runs (two earned) while striking out thirty and not yet allowing a homer. MLB.com notes that he’s not allowed more than one run in any of his five starts, including holding the Orioles and Cleveland Guardians scoreless.
Know who is second in all of baseball in ERA behind Crawford? Reynaldo López, who has also put up two scoreless outings among his four starts and hasn’t allowed more than one run in any outing this season.
And yet, no recognition.
López didn’t even make the “others receiving votes”, which has nine names who all were mentioned by the thirteen MLB.com voters while they were compiling the rankings.
Would you really rather have Paul Blackburn of the Oakland A’s, who has allowed seven runs in five starts, over Reynaldo López right now? What about Toronto’s Yusei Kikuchi, who also has seven runs allowed in 27.2 innings and a loss on his ledger? Seattle’s Bryce Miller has eight runs allowed (seven earned) and eleven walks with five homers already on the season, but he’s getting votes instead of López.
Make it make sense.
Atlanta, GA
How to watch DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan today: TV channel, streaming and kickoff time
The group stage of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup is nearly over, but not before the Democratic Republic of the Congo takes on Uzbekistan at Atlanta Stadium.
For DR Congo, this last match is extremely important. The team remains in contention for a spot in the knockout round with its one point. Uzbekistan has an extremely slim change of getting to the round of 32 following its loss to Portugal earlier this week, but a massive win could change all that.
This is the second time DR Congo has competed in the World Cup since 1974, when it was called Zaire. The team qualified after winning a playoff tournament in Mexico.
How to watch DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan
- Date: Saturday, June 26
- Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- TV (English): FS1
- TV (Spanish): Peacock (Telemundo/Universo)
- Streaming: Universo, FOX One, FOX Sports app and website
FIFA Fan Festival Atlanta
What: FIFA Fan Festival™ Atlanta
Where: Centennial Olympic Park
Time: 2 p.m. to Midnight
The free general admission tickets for Saturday have sold out, but guests can purchase tickets to the festival on its website.
Atlanta, GA
How to watch San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves
The San Francisco Giants welcome the Atlanta Braves to Oracle Park tonight to begin a three-game series.
As of the time this is being written, the Giants have not yet announced a starting pitcher. I assume that means that the last resort left for this season is the element of surprise. But check the comments below for more up to date information.
Whoever it ends up being will face off against Braves right-hander Reynaldo López, who enters tonight’s game with a 3.50 ERA, 4.62 FIP, with 39 strikeouts to 21 walks in 43.2 innings pitched. His last appearance was in relief in the Braves’ 9-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, in which he allowed one unearned run on one hit with three strikeouts and a walk in three innings.
Who: San Francisco Giants (33-47) vs. Atlanta Braves (48-31)
Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, California
Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM
Atlanta, GA
Chef’s Tableware brings affordable ceramics to Atlanta’s chefs and home cooks
Photograph by Martha Williams
Atlanta diners may recognize the name Adidsara “Vicky” Weerasin as co-owner of both Tum Pok Pok, the beloved Thai restaurant in Chamblee, and Yao in Buckhead. But they might not know she’s also the person behind Chef’s Tableware, the ceramics shop all over many Atlantans’ “for you” page on TikTok. From its New Peachtree Road warehouse, Chef’s Tableware offers handcrafted plates, cups, and bowls, sourced from Thailand, that look like they’re from Anthropologie but sell for a fraction of the price. And while it is a wholesale operation, it’s open to both restaurant-industry professionals and savvy Atlanta shoppers.
Weerasin’s pieces appear on tables at top Atlanta restaurants, from the soft-green platform bowls used to showcase Claudia Martinez’s confectionery creations at Bar Ana to the speckled black plates heaped with pasta at BoccaLupo. Another place you can expect to find Chef’s Tableware selections is at Georgia Boy, the tasting menu–only restaurant in the back of Southern Belle. “I picked up matte black dinner plates, an artsy pedestal bowl with a bubbled ceramic finish, and concave, high-gloss porcelain pieces,” says Georgia Boy and Southern Belle chef and owner Joey Ward. “Each one helps elevate the way we present a dish.”
Weerasin first discovered her love of ceramics when she took a pottery-making class at her high school in Thailand. She’s now lived in Atlanta 20 years, but she returns to her homeland every year to visit family. It was during one such trip in 2023 that she visited a family member’s ceramics business and saw the type of stunning handmade pieces that now fill her store. She originally intended for her 4,500-square-foot, two-room space to be more of a friend-to-friend operation, but after several requests, she opened it to the public.

Photograph by Martha Williams

Photograph by Martha Williams

Photograph by Martha Williams
Weerasin says she sources pieces with chefs in mind, collaborating with them on the right textures and weights for their serving dishes and explaining how each aspect might factor into the guest and server experience. “Each restaurant has a different concept, [so] I try to consult and recommend different types of ceramic, stone, clay, and porcelain,” she says.
Her industrial shelves are filled with a wide range of items, from the expected (plates, bowls, cups) to the unusual (sushi boats, matcha bowls, coffee pour-overs). Other offbeat items include an elephant-shaped mug, a peapod cutlery rest, and animal-shaped chopstick rests, located by the register. Customers looking for well-priced gifts for weddings, birthdays, and housewarmings can find dish sets and colorful wine glasses for less than $15.
Popular picks include “donut bowls”—large, shallow pieces that allow for creative plating and are especially popular for serving tasting menus. These bowls, which retail for $39.95 each, also offer a way to pair texture and color with the dishes; for home entertaining, they make a table look grander.
Weerasin’s favorite pieces for first-time shoppers: beautiful drinkware with a drip-style glaze. The glass glaze, known as nagashi (Japanese for “flowing”), is fired at more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which produces a natural crackle effect. “It’s very unique,” she says.
This article appears in our June 2026 issue.
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