The Atlanta Braves take on the San Francisco Giants. Check out our MLB odds series for our Braves Giants prediction and pick.
Spencer Strider gets the call for the Braves, while Alex Cobb takes the hill for the Giants.
Strider was slotted into this Monday game as a late change for the Braves. Kyle Wright was the previously scheduled starter. He will be bumped to Tuesday night.
Spencer Strider has a 2.69 ERA. He has been magnificent for the Braves this season. He throws really hard, but there is so much more to pitching than throwing really hard. The secondary pitches need to complement the primary heat. Strider has established a good pitch mix and has maintained good location for most of the season. Last week in Oakland against the A's, he gave up two runs in the first inning. He got into trouble by walking multiple batters. He briefly lost command of the strike zone, but he then settled down after that and was able to give the Braves another win. He is mature beyond his years and is giving Atlanta a high-end arm to compensate for the loss of Mike Soroka.
Alex Cobb struggled in April and most of May. He then missed three weeks in June with an injury. Since returning to the San Francisco rotation on June 19, he has been a sub-three-run ERA pitcher. He has given the Giants a consistent back-end rotation presence. Cobb's season ERA is 3.68. It was 6.25 on May 28. That tells you how good Cobb has been this summer. If these numbers had been posted for the 2021 Giants, who got timely hits and did not collapse at the plate, Cobb would have a lot more wins (and San Francisco would, too).
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Braves-Giants MLB odds.
MLB Odds: Braves-Giants Odds
Atlanta Braves: -1.5 (-111)
San Francisco Giants: +1.5 (-108)
Over: 6.5 (-122)
Under: 6.5 (+100)
Why The Braves Could Cover the Spread
The Braves led the New York Mets by half a game on Saturday morning, but two losses to the Seattle Mariners have pushed them behind the Mets again in a riveting race. The Braves know this game is hugely important, especially with the Mets hosting the Chicago Cubs. When the Braves take the field in San Francisco for this game, it's likely that they'll know the Mets have won. Therefore, the Braves will probably have to win to keep pace with New York.
Spencer Strider is a superb pitcher. His brief lack of control in Oakland last week should not be a huge cause for concern. The Giants, moreover, will be tired after playing a Sunday night game. The Braves were able to get into San Francisco Sunday night. The Giants had to fly in early Monday.
Why The Giants Could Cover the Spread
Alex Cobb is a quality pitcher who has steadily performed well in the second half of the season. If he does what he has been doing for a few months — limit the opposition to two or three runs in six innings of work — the Giants will be right there in the seventh and eighth inning with a chance to win. The Braves have spent so many weeks trying to catch the Mets that they might be running out of steam or, at the very least, hitting an understandable lull. The Braves have been red-hot for a few months. Picking up a few losses is bound to happen here and here. One more loss means the Giants cover the spread.
Final Braves-Giants Prediction & Pick
The fact that the Braves have lost two in a row — something they have very rarely done since they took off in June and soared upward in the standings — makes it really hard to think they will lose three in a row, especially against a San Francisco team which actually is at a travel disadvantage. The Braves made a short flight from Seattle, while the Giants made a long overnight flight from Chicago. Take Atlanta here. The over-under is also really low. You can make a play on the over, too.
Final Braves-Giants Prediction & Pick: Braves -1.5, Over 6.5
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