The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets will face off in a pivotal five-game series this weekend at Citi Field. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes our Braves-Mets prediction and pick we have laid out below.
The Atlanta Braves are chasing the Mets in the NL East, with their 63-43 record still four and a half games out of first place. Atlanta has lost some ground over the last week plus, going 5-5 in their last 10 games.
New York is the lead dog in the NL East, with a sterling 67-38 record. New York has been dominant recently, going 9-1 in their last 10 games. Even scarier, Jacob DeGrom is back and seems to be in mid-season form already.
Here are the Braves-Mets MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Braves-Mets Odds
Atlanta Braves: +1.5 (-164)
New York Mets: -1.5 (+136)
Over: 8.5 (-110)
Under: 8.5 (-112)
Why The Braves Could Cover The Spread
Atlanta has been really good following their 2021 World Series victory, but not quite good enough to catch the Mets. Their offense has been lethal, slugging 162 home runs, the second highest total in the league. Atlanta's 191 doubles rank sixth in the league. Austin Riley, who just committed to being a Brave for at least 10 more years, has bashed 29 home runs while hitting .297, both totals lead his team. New addition Matt Olson has been worth the cost, hitting 21 home runs and 35 doubles so far. Olson has done a great job replacing fan favorite Freddie Freeman. Dansby Swanson is continuing last year's success, with 15 home runs and a .297 batting average, including a scorching hot .346 mark in his last seven games. This lineup is one of the deepest in baseball.
On the mound, Ian Anderson, who has been up and down this season, will take the ball in Queens tonight. Anderson, the third overall pick in the 2016 draft, has a 4.99 ERA in 20 starts. Based on his expected statistics, Anderson has run into some bad luck, as his expected ERA is a 4.28. Anderson's fastball has been hit hard this season, batters have a .315 average against it, but the expected batting average (based on quality of contact) is .288. Once his luck turns around, Anderson should be an average to an above-average pitcher. Atlanta's bullpen is one of the best in the league, ranking fifth with a 3.20 ERA. Closer Kenley Jansen has been solid, with a 3.43 ERA and 24 saves.
Why The Mets Could Cover The Spread
New York has one of the most lovable teams in baseball, even more so with the addition of Daniel Vogelbach. Their original slugger, Pete Alonso, may be having his best season yet. Alonso has launched 29 home runs to go with 91 RBI and a .278 batting average. After struggling in his first year in Queens, Francisco Lindor is back to being one of the best shortstops in baseball, with 19 home runs and 10 stolen bases. Jeff McNeil leads the team with a .302 average, adding 24 doubles. Starling Marte is close behind with a .299 batting average, stealing 12 bases and adding 11 home runs of his own. The Mets rank fifth in baseball with a team batting average of .257.
Taijuan Walker is tonight's starting pitcher, and Walker has been phenomenal this season. Walker has a 2.79 ERA in 18 starts, including a 2.53 mark in his last 15 starts. Walker has been downright dominant at home, with a 1.93 ERA across his seven home starts. Closer Edwin Diaz, owner of the most electric entrance in baseball has been even better than his walk-out song this year, with a 1.44 ERA and 24 saves. Diaz has struck out 52.1%(!!!) of batters he has faced this season. As a whole, the Mets bullpen has registered a 3.61 ERA, striking out 409 batters in 357 innings.
Final Braves-Mets Prediction & Pick
This is probably the most exciting series this weekend, and every game will be a battle.
Final Braves-Mets Prediction & Pick: Mets -1.5 (+136), under 8.5 (-112)
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