The Washington Nationals will travel to Atlanta to take on the Braves in the first of a three-game series on Monday night at Truist Park. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes a Nationals-Braves prediction and pick, laid out below.
Washington has struggled to the league's worst record, with a 51-95 mark that places them in last place in the NL East. After trading away Juan Soto and Josh Bell, the team's offense has been abysmal, and the pitching has struggled most of the season. Fans are impatiently waiting for this horrid season to be over.
Atlanta has been in the midst of a back-and-forth battle with New York for the top spot in the NL East. Currently, Atlanta is 91-55 on the season, just one game behind the Mets for the NL East lead. Atlanta leads the NL Wild Card by 10.5 games over the second-place San Diego Padres.
Here are the Nationals-Braves MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Nationals-Braves Odds
Washington Nationals: +1.5 (+138)
Atlanta Braves: -1.5 (-166)
Over: 8.5 (-105)
Under: 8.5 (-115)
Why The Nationals Could Cover The Spread
Cory Abbott, who was claimed off waivers in the beginning part of the season, has made 13 appearances and six starts for Washington this season. Abbott has pitched to a 4.37 ERA in 35 innings. In his six starts, Abbott has pitched to a 5.19 ERA in 26 innings. Batters are hitting .222 against Abbott this season.
Washington's bullpen ranks 19th in the league with a 4.11 ERA in 569.1 innings. Carl Edwards has pitched to a 2.73 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 56 innings, holding batters to a .207 batting average. Erasmo Ramirez has appeared in 54 games, making two starts. In his 52 relief appearances, Ramirez has pitched to a 2.52 ERA in 71.1 innings. Kyle Finnegan has pitched to a 3.77 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 59.2 innings and is second on the team with 10 saves.
Lane Thomas leads the team with 16 home runs and a .252 batting average, adding 50 RBI and 24 doubles. Cesar Hernandez leads the team with 27 doubles, with a .250 batting average and nine stolen bases. Nelson Cruz leads the team with 64 RBI, adding 10 home runs and 16 doubles. Rookie Joey Menses has impressed in his 40 games, hitting nine home runs and 10 doubles with a .309 batting average. Washington ranks 11th in the league with a .251 batting average.
Why The Braves Could Cover The Spread
Atlanta will send Kyle Wright to the mound in this one. Wright, a former first-round pick, has enjoyed his best season as a big leaguer, with a 3.18 ERA and 158 strikeouts in 164 innings across 27 starts. Wright's stuff has ticked up this season, with a career-high 23.7 percent strikeout rate and a career-low 7.3 percent walk rate. Batters have hit just .229 against Wright this season.
Atlanta's bullpen ranks fifth in the league with a 3.16 ERA, striking out 564 batters in 495.2 innings. AJ Minter has been great this season, with a 2.19 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 61.2 innings, with batters hitting just .201 against him. Collin McHugh has appeared in 52 games, with a 2.84 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 63.1 innings. Raisel Iglesias has been fantastic since coming over in a trade deadline deal with the Angels, with a 0.48 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.
Atlanta's offense has been led by third baseman Austin Riley, who leads the team with 36 home runs and 91 RBI while hitting .278 with 37 doubles. Matt Olson leads the team with 41 doubles and 68 walks, adding 28 home runs and is tied for the team lead with 91 RBI. Dansby Swanson has enjoyed a career year in the final year of team control, with 20 home runs, 87 RBI and 17 stolen bases. Ronald Acuna Jr. leads the team with 28 stolen bases, adding 13 home runs and 23 doubles. Rookie Michael Harris has impressed in his 99 games, with a .305 batting average, 26 doubles, 18 home runs and 16 stolen bases. Atlanta ranks second with 220 home runs and fourth with 271 doubles.
Final Nationals-Braves Prediction & Pick
Washington seems a bit overmatched in this one.
Final Nationals-Braves Prediction & Pick: Atlanta -1.5 (-166), over 8.5 (-105)
Follow Us
Subscribe