Austin Cox News: Working as opener Saturday

Cox will open Saturday's game against the Reds after Spencer Strider was scratched due to a weather delay, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Strider had already completed most or all of his warmup before the delay -- which lasted well over an hour -- was announced, so Atlanta decided not to put the star hurler on the mound. Cox will instead open what's slated to be a bullpen game. The lefty hasn't tossed more than two innings in any big-league appearance this season, though he did go 3.2 frames and throw 60 pitches in a start with Triple-A Gwinnett the last time he was on the mound (July 24). Therefore, he's well-rested and stretched out enough to handle a few frames if Atlanta opts for that approach.