The Atlanta Braves (9-5) open a series against the Philadelphia Phillies (3-4) Friday in Citizens Bank Park at 7:05 p.m. ET. We analyze the Braves-Phillies betting odds and lines, with MLB picks and best bets.
Braves at Phillies: Projected starting pitchers
RHP Kyle Wright vs. RHP Vincent Velasquez
Wright will be making his third start of the season and is currently sporting a 7.50 ERA. The damage was done in his first start when he allowed five earned runs in 2 2/3 innings. He tossed 3 1/3 shutout innings last time out, albeit with a 5:4 K:BB ratio.
- Wright is one of the most promising young arms in a loaded Atlanta system but has struggled in his brief big league trials. He owns a 7.67 ERA in 31 2/3 career innings, with 26 walks.
- He made 21 starts at the Triple-A level in 2019, working just over five innings per start for a total of 112 1/3 innings. During that time, he recorded a 4.17 ERA and 9.3 K/9.
Velasquez has made just one start so far in 2020. He went three innings against the Marlins, allowing four earned runs and two homers.
- He has made 47 career appearances (43 starts) at Citizens Bank Park, where he boasts a 4.70 ERA, 10.9 K/9, and 1.8 HR/9.
- Velasquez posted a 10.0 K/9 in 2019, but his 4.91 ERA wasn’t as attractive and is right in line with his 4.71 career mark.
Get some action on this game or any other matchup in the 2020 season with an MLB bet at BetMGM in NJ, IN, CO and WV. Bet now!
Braves at Phillies: Key injuries
Get the latest injury news here.
Braves
- 2B Ozzie Albies (wrist) out
- 1B Matt Adams (hamstring) out
- SP Cole Hamels (arm) out
- SP Mike Soroka (Achilles) out for the season
Phillies
- RP Seranthony Dominguez (elbow) out for the season
- RP Reggie McClain (shoulder) out
Braves at Phillies: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Braves 7, Phillies 5
Moneyline (ML)
Braves (-118)
Phillies (+105)
Wright has struggled mightily with his control during his stints in the majors, but walks weren’t a huge problem throughout his minor league career. He has the ability to improve quickly, and if he struggles tonight, manager Brian Snitker will likely go to the pen early, as he did in Wright’s first two starts.
On the other side, we have the very inconsistent, Velasquez. Sometimes he dominates, but more often than not, he gets hurt by the long ball. After a rough start to open this season, he now boasts a 7.18 ERA over his last eight starts, with eight homers allowed (2.3 HR/9). as was the case against the Braves in 2019. Both teams should put up some runs in this one, and we’ll side with the visiting BRAVES (-118).
New to sports betting? A $11.80 bet on the Braves to win returns a profit of $10.
Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
Braves -1 (100)
Phillies +1 (-121)
It may be best to PASS on these lines, as neither looks all that appealing. But considering how prone to blowups Velasquez is, bumping the Braves up to -2.5 (+180) makes some sense. Meanwhile, the Phillies at -2.5 pays out +280, if you’re expecting a good Velasquez outing or a Wright blowup.
Over/Under (O/U)
Over 9.5 (-115)
Under 9.5 (-106)
Two good offenses, a hitter-friendly park, and two shaky starters. That sounds like a combination equaling a lot of runs. The OVER 9.5 (-115) looks like an excellent value in this one, as we are likely to see some fireworks.
Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.
Follow @RuddHQ on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1372]