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Can life get any better than this? With Opening Day 2022 in full swing on this first Thursday of April, there are plenty of season debut matchups that will surely leave you salivating. In a National League confrontation between two hopeful title contenders, the Cincinnati Reds travel to Truist Park to go to battle versus the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves. Join us for our MLB odds series, where our Reds-Braves prediction and pick will be revealed.
A year ago at this point, The Reds had sky-high expectations for their club in 2021. These hopes quickly fizzled out as Cincinnati was far too inconsistent, eventually finishing with an 83-79 record. That placed them 12 games back of the division lead. Despite the disappointing season, April provides every team a chance to reset and refocus for the upcoming season at hand. The Reds will send out RHP Tyler Mahle, who provided Cincinnati with some marvelous pitching in 2021. Mahle assembled a 13-6 mark with a 3.75 ERA in his 33 games started.
For the first time in more than 25 years, the Atlanta Braves enter a season as defending champions. The Braves posted an 88-74 record that was good enough to win the middle-of-the-road National League East. Atlanta got hot at the most opportunistic time by disposing the Brewers, Dodgers, and Astros in that order. Southpaw Max Fried will get the start on opening day, and for good reason. Fried struck out 158 batters on his way to a 3.04 ERA and a winning record of 14-7 last season.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Reds-Braves MLB odds:
MLB odds: Reds-Braves Odds
Cincinatti Reds: +1.5 (-132)
Atlanta Braves: -1.5 (+110)
Over: 8.5 (-106)
Under: 8.5 (-114)
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Why the Reds Could Cover the Spread
In 2021, Tyler Mahle was a different pitcher when out on the road compared to playing at the Great American Ball Park. Mahle possessed a minuscule ERA of 2.30 and a 1.04 WHIP in visiting starts but struggled mightily when wearing the home uniforms with a 5.63 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. This home-away split is unexplainable, but fortunately for Mahle, his first start will take place in the heart of the deep south in Atlanta, Georgia. So, it is very possible that the Reds twirler brings his A game on Thursday. In his lone start against the Braves in 2021, Mahle was 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA.
Cincinnati is without a doubt a ball club that is stuck in the middle of transition, as they departed with key players such as Nick Castellanos, Sonny Gray, and Jesse Winkler to name a few. In return, the Reds at least added Tommy Pham and Colin Moran in order to replace some production both offensively and defensively within their lineup. Expect a heavy dosage of right-handed batters tonight against lefty Max Fried, as the Reds will try to create chaos in the early stages to make it a ball game.
Why the Braves Could Cover the Spread
Boy, is it fun to be a Georgia sports fan right now or what? Yes, the Falcons still stink and the Hawks are inconsistent, but the Georgia Bulldogs and Atlanta Braves are fresh off their first championship trophies for the first time in many years. For a state that has endured some painful losing seasons, the buzz surrounding the Braves is at an all-time high.
While Atlanta will be missing their franchise cornerstone difference maker in 1B Freddie Freeman, there is still plenty of talent to go around. The Braves are trying to become the first MLB team since the New York Yankees more than two decades ago to repeat as World Series champions. However, Atlanta won't be empty-handed at first base. The Braves went the aggressive route after losing their five-time All-Star by acquiring Matt Olson from Oakland. The lefty, Olson, experienced career-highs in home runs with 39 blasts on the year and in RBIs with 111, all while posting a .911 OPS at the plate.
With Freeman heading to the west coast to play first base for the Dodgers, the Braves notably returned the favor and snatched long-time closer Kenley Jansen from Los Angeles in hopes of bolstering a bullpen that was 15th in baseball with 40 games saved.
In order to treat Braves fans with a win to open up the 2022 season, Atlanta needs to come out with intensity and a sense of focus in their home opener. Expect Max Fried to deal in his season debut, as the left-handed pitcher is carrying over a streak of 12 consecutive quality starts dating back to last season.
Final Reds-Braves Prediction & Pick
Even with the uncertainty that follows teams on Opening Day, the general consensus is that the Braves will overwhelm a Reds squad that has seen their roster take a couple steps back in comparison to a year ago. While Atlanta will cover the spread in this National League showdown, always expect the unexpected when it comes to April baseball.
Final Reds-Braves Pick: Braves -1.5 (+110)
