Strider (3-8) was scratched after the inaugural rain delay. He is a Knoxville native and a graduate of Christian Academy of Knoxville. Burns, a native of Gallatin, Tennessee, pitched for Tennessee from 2022-23 before transferring to Wake Forest. He was selected with the No. 2 overall pick by the Reds in the 2024 MLB draft.

Tonight's MLB Speedway Classic matchup between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds at the Bristol Motor Speedway promised to be a historic night, with over 85,000 tickets sold for the game inside the legendary venue.