Atlanta Braves vs Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Picks & Predictions
The Atlanta Braves will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second game of a three-game series on Saturday afternoon. This marks the first series between the two teams this
Game outlook
The Atlanta Braves will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second game of a three-game series on Saturday afternoon. This marks the first series between the two teams this season. The Braves will have Reynaldo Lopez with a 1.54 ERA on the mound, while the Pirates will start Mitch Keller with a 3.84 ERA. The game is set to begin at 4:05 EST at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Atlanta is the betting favorite with a -147 opening line that has remained unchanged.
Betting Odds
Moneyline: Braves -147 | Pirates +135
Spread: Braves -1.5 (+113) | Pirates +1.5 (-130)
Total: Over/Under 8.5 (-110)
Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Atlanta will win straight-up is 60%.
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are having a strong season, currently six games behind the division-leading Phillies. Despite this, the team is not giving up on the NL East and are still in good positioning for a wildcard spot. Marcell Ozuna has been the top batter for the Braves, leading the team in various categories. Ronald Acuna Jr. has been a key player as the leadoff man, while Matt Olson and Michael Harris II have also made significant contributions. Reynaldo Lopez will make his ninth start of the season, with a strong ERA of 1.54. The Braves are ranked 9 in offense, #6 in defense, and have a record of 94-68.
Pittsburgh Pirates Analysis
The Pittsburgh Pirates have released their young star pitcher, Paul Skenes, after pitching in three games this season. In their last game against the Giants, Skenes pitched 6.0 innings and allowed just one earned run, but the bullpen gave up five runs in the 8th inning resulting in a loss for the Pirates. The team currently sits in fourth in the NL Central, just a game behind the Cardinals in third. Bryan Reynolds hit a home run in the sixth inning of the game, tying him for the team lead with seven home runs and leading with 27 RBIs. Andrew McCutchen and Oneil Cruz are also tied with seven home runs each, with McCutchen batting leadoff and Cruz batting cleanup. Right fielder Connor Joe leads the team in batting average at .268. 28-year-old Mitch Keller has a 5-3 record in his 11th start of the season with a 3.84 ERA. The Pirates have a power ranking of 24 and rank 25th in offense, averaging 3.84 points per game, and 17th in defense, giving up an average of 4.44 points per game. They currently have a record of 23-28 and went 1-2 in their last three matchups against Atlanta.