The Miami Marlins will try and bounce back as they take on the division-rival Atlanta Braves on Saturday afternoon. It's time to continue our MLB odds coverage with a Marlins-Braves prediction and pick.

 

The Braves defeated the Marlins 6-4 on Friday. It was scoreless heading into the fifth when Austin Riley crushed a solo home run to break up the perfect game. It was his tenth home run of 2022, and it gave the Braves a 1-0 lead. Atlanta added two more in the inning to build a three-run lead. Then, the Marlins responded in the sixth when Garrett Cooper decimated a pitch for a two-run home run. It cut the deficit to 3-2, and Miami had more in the tank. Next, Jesus Aguilar smacked a two-run bomb to left to put the Marlins ahead.

However, the Braves answered back in the seventh when Ronald Acuna clobbered an RBI double to tie it. Ozzie Albies capitalized on his opportunity and drove home two more runners. The Braves bullpen was excellent in this contest, allowing one hit through 3 1/3 innings. The Braves are now 22-24 and in second place in the NL East, while the Marlins are 18-25 and in fourth place.

Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Marlins-Braves MLB odds:

MLB Odds: Marlins-Braves Odds

Marlins: +1.5 (-210) ML (+102)

Braves: -1.5 (+176) ML (-120)

Over: 8 (-105)

Under: 8 (-115)

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Why The Marlins Could Cover The Spread

It is time for Sandy Alcantara. The Miami ace is 4-2 with a 2.11 ERA in 2022. Additionally. he is coming off a complete-game win over the Braves last weekend. He went into the ninth with a shutout intact when he allowed three unearned runs. The Marlins opted to keep him in the game, and it paid off with a victory. Furthermore, he also has a great track record against the Braves. Alcantara is 3-1 with a 1.83 ERA in eight career starts against Atlanta. He hopes to get his fourth win against them and look for some help from the offense. 

The Marlins are 12th in batting average, 13th in on-base percentage, and 16th in home runs. However, they are only 23rd in runs. The Marlins leave many runners on base and score solo or two-run home runs on most occasions, as they did last night. Miami did not hit the ball well enough yesterday to leave many runners stranded. The top four hitters in their lineup combined for a 3 for 13 stat line. Today, the Marlins hope for better results and will see if Cooper and Aguilar can continue to pound the baseball. 

The Marlins will cover the spread if Alcantara continues his dominant streak against the Braves. Additionally, the Marlins can win if they can get some offense to support him. Miami scored four runs last night and could not beat Atlanta. However, four runs might be enough to win today's game if Alcantara pitches well. 

Why The Braves Could Cover The Spread

The Braves will roll with Tucker Davidson. He is 1-1 with an 8.71 ERA. Davidson would like to forget his last start, where he only lasted 2 2/3 innings. He allowed five earned runs and could not escape the jam he put himself him. Now, Davidson gets a chance for redemption and will look to take down a Miami offense that can get hot or cold, depending on the circumstances. 

The Braves have produced a mediocre offense in 2022. Atlanta ranks 21st in batting average, 19th in on-base percentage, and 15th in runs. Although, they also do rank fifth in home runs. The Braves enjoy the long ball and have three hitters that can pose a threat for the deep fly at any time. Riley has 10 home runs, Marcell Ozuna has eight, and Willy Contreras has seven. Also, Albies and Dansby Swanson each have six dingers. The Braves did not hit any home runs last night but still managed to cover. 

The Braves will cover the spread if Davidson can give them a better performance than his last start. Also, keep in mind that the Braves' bullpen did work a little last night, so Atlanta might want its starter to last into the sixth again. The Braves need to mash the baseball and not let Alcantara catch fire early, or it will be a long night at the plate. 

Final Marlins-Braves Prediction & Pick

The odds are pretty bad for the Marlins or the Braves to cover. However, the best pick you can make relies on the strongest value. Alcantara is one of the better pitchers in baseball and has already beaten the Braves.

Final Marlins-Braves Prediction & Pick: Marlins Moneyline (+102)