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The San Francisco Giants (64-57) and Atlanta Braves (78-42) open up a 3-game set at Truist Park Friday. First pitch is at 7:20 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Giants vs. Braves odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: First meeting; Atlanta won 4-3 last year
The Giants enter this one on a 3-7 slide as they have fallen to 10 1/2 games out in the NL West. They still hold the 2nd NL Wild Card spot as they’re 1 1/2 games up on the Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins and Cincinnati Reds. San Francisco is just 10-12 against the NL East.
The Braves are coming off a 3-game sweep over the New York Yankees. They’ve won 8 of 10 and are 14-6 over the last 20 games as they continue to be a juggernaut in the NL. Atlanta is 40-20 at home on the season.
Giants at Braves projected starters
RHP Alex Cobb vs. RHP Spencer Strider
Cobb (6-4, 3.62 ERA) makes his 23rd start. He has a 1.37 WHIP, 2.4 BB/9 and 8.1 K/9 in 121 2/3 innings.
- Last start: Loss, 4 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 3 K Saturday against Texas Rangers
- 3 career starts vs. Braves: 2-0, 1.29 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 19 K in 21 IP
Strider (13-4, 3.75 ERA) makes his 25th start. He has a 1.12 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9 and 14.0 K/9 in 139 1/3 innings.
- Last start: Win, 7 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 6 K Saturday against New York Mets
- 2 career starts vs. Giants: 0-1, 8.31 ERA, 1.96 WHIP, 13 K in 8 2/3 IP
Giants at Braves odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:08 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Giants +180 (bet $100 to win $180) | Braves -225 (bet $225 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Giants +1.5 (-105) | Braves -1.5 (-115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
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Giants at Braves picks and predictions
Prediction
Braves 5, Giants 3
Moneyline
The Braves can beat you 21-3 or 2-0, and they are rightly massive favorites here. There’s no point in risking more than twice your return on their ML, however.
PASS.
Run line/Against the spread
The Braves’ last 8 wins have come by a combined 49 runs with just one of those victories coming by a single run. The Giants are just 27-31 on the RL away from the Bay and they strike out the 4th-most in baseball — and that’s going to be a problem with the MLB leader in strikeouts on the mound.
Take the BRAVES -1.5 (-115).
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Over/Under
The Braves are 6-4 O/U over the last 10, and the Giants are 5-5. The Over is just 3-7 over the last 10 meetings between the teams. Cobb has allowed 11 ER in 9 2/3 IP over his last 2 starts, and Strider hit a bump in the road before dominating the Mets last time out.
Still, I’m more inclined to LEAN UNDER 8.5 (-105) because this total has cashed just 3 times in their last 10 meetings.
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