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It is an NL East showdown as the Atlanta Braves travel to play the Philadelphia Phillies. It is now time to continue our MLB odds series with a Braves-Phillies prediction, pick, and how-to-watch
The Braves enter the contest off a four-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies, including a win after an awkward Father's Day celebration. They have now won six straight games and the offense is humming. In those games, the Braves scored 56 runs. The Braves have won 13 of their last 15 games and now sit at 46-26 for the season. Not only does that lead the division, but it is also the best record in the National League and second-best in the majors behind the Tampa Bay Rays.
Meanwhile, the Phillies also come in off a sweep of an opponent. Over the weekend the Phillies swept the Oakland Athletics in three games. They have also won six in a row and have won have also won 13 of their last 15 games. They sit at 38-34 on the season, currently eight games behind the Braves and in third place in their division.
Here are the Braves-Phillies MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Braves-Phillies Odds
Atlanta Braves: -1.5 (+114)
Philadelphia Phillies: +1.5 (-137)
Over: 8.5 (-122)
Under: 8.5 (+100)
How To Watch Braves vs. Phillies
TV: TBS/BSSO/NBCSP
Stream: TBS App/MLB.TV
Time: 6:40 PM ET/ 3:40 PM PT
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Braves Could Cover The Spread
The Braves' offense may be the best in the majors, and if not, it is close. They sit first in the majors in slugging, second in OBP and batting average, and third, in runs scored this year. It has been led by Ronald Acuna Jr. Not only has Acuna shown power this year, leading the team in total bases, but he has also shown speed. Acuna has 21 doubles, a triple, and 15 home runs on the year, plus he has also stolen thirty bases on the season. According to David O'Brien of The Athletic, Acuna is the first player in history to have 15 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a team's first 70 games in history.
Acuna has been great all year, but he has been extra hot in June. He is hitting .328, which has raised his batting average to .325 on the season, second-best in the majors. He has four home runs and 14 RBIs on the month and has stolen seven bases this month alone. Acuna is not the only one swinging a hot bat. Ozzie Albies is joining in on the fun. He is hitting .333 this month, with six home runs and 16 RBIs. He also has stolen two bases and has an OBP of .414. Albies has home runs in each of the last two games and will go for three in a row today on Dinger Tuesday.
The Braves will send one of their best arms to the mound today to face the Phillies. Spencer Strider gets the start today, with his 7-2 record and 4.12 ERA. While he has had a solid season, his last two starts have been rough. In his last two starts, he has combined for just nine innings of work while giving up 13 runs and 15 hits. He has also given up five home runs in those two games. Home runs have been a problem for him. He has given up home runs in each of his last six starts, and 12 so far this season.
Why The Phillies Could Cover The Spread
The Phillies' offense was fairly average so far this season but has truly picked up. They are currently ninth in batting average while sitting 11th in slugging, 16th in OBP, and 18th in runs scored. In their six-game winning streak, the Phillies have scored 36 runs. With a season average of just 4.44 runs per game, their jump to six runs a game is a major reason for their winning. Another reason for the winning has been Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber has RBIs in five of the last six games. He has 14 RBIs and seven home runs in the last month. He is hitting .254 and has an OBP of .375 in June. With Strider giving up so many home runs, Schwarber at +300 may be a solid pick for Dinger Tuesday.
Schwarber is not the only one who has been hot lately. After missing time to start the month, Alex Bohm has come back hot. Since rejoining the team on June 11th, he is hitting .281 with eight RBIS and a home run. Sunday broke a five-game hitting streak in which he had four multi-hit games. Nick Castellanos missed the game Sunday and is still considered day-to-day. If he can be back for this one, it will be a huge help. He is hitting .403 in June while driving in 14 runs and hitting three home runs. His batting average for the year sits sixth in the majors, while his OPS is 27th in the majors.
Ranger Suarez will be on the mound for the Phillies today. He is 1-2 on the season with a 3.82 ERA. His first month of the year did not go great. He went 0-3 in May with a 7.13 ERA. In June he has been much better. In his three starts in May, he has pitched 20 innings while only giving up two runs. He has struck out 18 batters while giving up just 16 hits in those three starts.
Final Braves-Phillies Prediction & Pick
While the Braves have been hot, the Phillies have been just as hot. The Braves are scoring more runs, but the Phillies are pitching better. This game may come down to the pitching match-up. While Strider is the better pitcher, as of late, Suarez has been better. Strider has won two of his last three starts primarily due to solid run support. He may not get that today. Take the Phillies in this one.
Final Braves-Phillies Prediction & Pick: Phillies +1.5 (-137)
