The Atlanta Braves take on the Washington Nationals. Our MLB odds series has our Braves-Nationals prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Braves-Nationals.
The Atlanta Braves did on Thursday what they normally do: They beat the Washington Nationals on the road. The Braves feasted on the Nats in D.C. last season, winning regularly and scoring regularly. The gulf between these teams in terms of overall quality and capacity was made clear in the Braves' 7-2 season-opening win. Even though starter Max Fried had to leave the game in the fourth inning due to injury, the Atlanta bullpen shut down Washington over the final five innings, and the Atlanta offense was able to hit the Nationals early and late. Washington's opening day starting pitcher was Patrick Corbin, who has had one of the worst ERAs of any starting pitcher in Major League Baseball over the past two years. The Nats just don't have the arms Atlanta does, which is an even bigger gulf between the two teams than the considerable disparity in depth, power, and top-to-bottom balance in the batting order.
There's no doubt the Braves are in a much better situation than the Nationals, but in one baseball game, anything is possible. Let's see if the Nats can make life more inconvenient for the clear National League East favorites from Atlanta, given the injury problems being suffered by the New York Mets.
Here are the Braves-Nationals MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Braves-Nationals Odds
Atlanta Braves: -1.5 (-146)
Washington Nationals: +1.5 (+122)
Over: 8.5 (-110)
Under: 8.5 (-110)
How To Watch Braves vs. Nationals
TV: Bally Sports / MASN / MLB Extra Innings
Stream: MLB.tv
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET/1:05 p.m. PT
*Watch Braves-Nationals LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Braves Could Cover The Spread
The Braves are simply a much better team. They have a fully loaded batting order with no easy outs, and that's even with Dansby Swanson now on the Chicago Cubs. From Ronald Acuna to Orlando Arcia and everyone in between, the Braves have big sticks and productive hitters. They got production up and down the batting order on Thursday in their season-opening win over the Nationals. A good reminder for those considering a Braves bet: Atlanta had a two-run lead going into the ninth and put three on the back end of the Washington bullpen. If you're thinking about a -1.5 Braves ticket, Atlanta could enter the final two innings tied or leading by only one run, and can score late-inning runs to cash in.
Spencer Strider is the starter for the Braves. He learned how to pitch last season. He is a lot more than just a live arm with a good fastball. He discovered how to mix his pitches and get hitters off balance. He should be able to mow down the Nationals on Saturday.
Why The Nationals Could Cover The Spread
The Nats had Patrick Corbin as their Day 1 starter, when it probably should have been Josiah Gray. Though the former Los Angeles Dodger has hardly maxed out as a professional, he hasn't hit the low point Corbin has reached in his career. Gray gives the Nationals a chance to keep the Braves' bats at bay. On a day when Washington needs five or six good innings from its starter (Corbin failed to give Washington four innings in his season debut on Thursday), Gray has a good chance of being able to do the job. If Strider is not on top of his game, the Nats could strike and surprise some people, most of all the Braves themselves.
Final Braves-Nationals Prediction & Pick
The Braves are simply a lot better. That's it. That's all you need to know.
Final Braves-Nationals Prediction & Pick: Braves: -1.5
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