(Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)

The first two weeks of the season were not supposed to go like this for the Atlanta Braves and Tampa Bay Rays, who are both accustomed to winning and competing in the postseason.

If the early results are any indication, they could have plenty of free time in October.

The clubs will begin a three-game interleague series Friday night in Tampa.

On Thursday, host Atlanta fell behind 2-1 in the 11th inning against the Philadelphia Phillies, but the Braves tied it on Austin Riley's double before Marcell Ozuna belted a two-run homer for a 4-2 victory. The teams endured a 2-hour, 45-minute rain delay after the bottom of the sixth with the game tied at 1.

Even with the win, the run-starved Braves are just 3-9 to start the campaign. They could use former National League MVP Ronald Acuna Jr., but that may take some time.

Manager Brian Snitker said Thursday the 27-year-old star outfielder will have his injured left knee examined early next week in Los Angeles. Acuna tore his left anterior cruciate ligament on May 26 and underwent surgery on June 6.

Acuna has participated in batting practice but hasn't yet been cleared to run the bases.

'It's going to be about, just like other guys that miss spring training, getting his body in shape when he gets cleared,' Snitker said.

In the series opener, Snitker will turn to right-hander Bryce Elder, who will look to improve from his April 2 season debut against the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Elder (0-0, 6.75 ERA) allowed three runs in the four-inning start. He surrendered home runs to Tommy Edman and Michael Conforto as the Dodgers won 6-5 on Shohei Ohtani's walk-off homer in the ninth.

Elder lost his lone career start against the Rays back in 2023, yielding seven runs on six hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings in a 10-4 road defeat.

With a schedule frontloaded with home contests in order to beat Florida's summer rain, the Rays -- who missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2018 -- will be playing the fourth game of a 13-game homestand. They lost two of three against the Los Angeles Angels to begin the week.

After starting 4-1, manager Kevin Cash's dropped has lost six of the past seven as it plays 19 of its first 22 games in Tampa.

The Rays delivered a forgettable performance on Thursday as the Angels turned it into a one-sided knockout by socking six home runs.

The 11-1 walloping surely left a mark on the Rays, who allowed an eight-run fifth inning that featured two homers from Jo Adell.

'I mean, we're frustrated,' Cash said. 'I can assure you those guys are frustrated in there. We'd like to be playing better baseball. Everybody wants to get out of spring training and get out to a good start. It doesn't feel like we're doing right at this moment. A series or two can change that. That's the way we've got to continue to look at it.'

Tampa Bay right-hander Taj Bradley (1-0, 4.91 ERA) will oppose Elder on Friday. He dropped his only career start against Atlanta in 2023 after giving up four runs on five hits in five innings of a 6-1 home setback.

Bradley beat the Colorado Rockies in his 2025 season debut but fought control problems in a no-decision at the Texas Rangers on Saturday. He gave up four runs and two hits while issuing four walks in five innings, though he fanned seven.

--Field Level Media