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The Washington Nationals (24-28) and Atlanta Braves (30-21) play the 2nd game of a 4-game set Tuesday. First pitch from Truist Park is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Nationals vs. Braves odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Washington leads 1-0
The Nats doubled up the Braves 8-4 on Memorial Day, cashing as (+187) road underdogs.
LHP Mitchell Parker earned the win and was efficient, at one point retiring 14 Braves in a row. Nationals 3B Nick Senzel drove in 2, as did SS CJ Abrams with his team-leading 9th HR of the season.
Nationals at Braves projected starters
RHP Jake Irvin vs. LHP Max Fried
Irvin (2-5, 3.79 ERA) makes his 11th start. He has a 1.07 WHIP, 1.4 BB/9 and 7.0 K/9 in 57 IP.
- Last start: Loss, 6 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 6 K in 3-2 home setback vs. Minnesota Twins Wednesday
- His BB/9 is 2nd-lowest among qualified starting pitchers in NL, behind only Braves LHP Chris Sale (1.3)
Fried (4-2, 3.38 ERA) makes his 11th start. He has a 1.06 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9 and 7.4 K/9 in 58 2/3 IP.
- Last start: Win, 9 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K Wednesday in 9-2 victory at Chicago Cubs
- His ground ball percentage of 64.6% is highest among all qualified MLB starters
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Nationals at Braves odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:30 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Nationals +210 (bet $100 to win $210) | Braves -255 (bet $255 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the Spread (ATS): Nationals +1.5 (+106) | Braves -1.5 (-128)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Nationals at Braves picks and predictions
Prediction
Atlanta 5, Washington 4
Moneyline
PASS.
As tempting as the price is to take the Nats, I just don’t expect foresee them outlasting Atlanta, the hardest-hitting team in the majors (44.3% hard hit percentage).
If the game is tied after 9 innings, the Nats will be tested, as they are 1 of just 3 teams that have yet to score an extra-inning run away from home. Plus, it will be tough for Washington to inflict much damage against a Braves bullpen that has surrendered the fewest earned runs (62) in the NL.
Run line
BACK NATIONALS +1.5 (+106).
Entering Tuesday, only the Cincinnati Reds have more stolen bases as a team (84) than Washington (83). CF Jacob Young leads the Nationals with 16 as the 24-year-old delivered 3 hits and a swiped bag in Monday’s victory. RF Lane Thomas, 2nd in steals with 11, returned from the injured list and cranked out a couple of doubles as well.
Expect Washington to manufacture runs on the basepaths after driving the ball to the gaps, enough to keep it in the ball game until the late innings at least.
Over/Under
BET OVER 8.5 (-105).
Tough to recommend anything other than an Over with Irvin on the mound against these fearsome Atlanta bats, even as they carry on without RF Ronald Acuna Jr. The 27-year-old Irvin left multiple pitches up in the zone that were cranked out of the yard against the Twins, who are not the Braves offensively.
DH Marcell Ozuna leads the NL in RBIs (47), and 1B Matt Olson has crossed the plate in 4 straight games. Expect both Atlanta sluggers to contribute, plus 3B Austin Riley is back in the lineup after recovering from the intercostal strain.
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