Braves Can’t Relax in Hot NL East
The 2022 MLB season didn’t start off the way the Atlanta Braves hoped it would. They dropped their home opener to the Cincinnati Reds and are under .500 in April.
While the Texas Rangers give the defending World Series Champions an easy opponent, they can’t take them for granted. Doing so might see them slip in the NL East standings.
Let’s check the latest MLB Picks, stats, injury reports, and MLB Odds for Braves vs Rangers. We’ve plenty of MLB Predictions.
Braves Bullpen Will Need To Help Bryce Elder
The Atlanta Braves are naming Bryce Elder (1-2 4.30 ERA) the starter for game two. He has been pulled early in his last two starts.
Look for the Braves’ bullpen to be active early if he can’t keep the Texas Rangers hitters in check. Will Smith (2.89 ERA) needs to improve against the Rangers if he’s called on again. Friday night he pitched one inning, giving up a home run for one earned run.
The Braves also need their offense to have a repeat performance tonight to help Elder. Travis Demeritte and William Contreras helped the team out the most. They combined for four hits and three RBIs in eight at-bats.
Four-Game Losing Streak for the Rangers
The loss by the Texas Rangers showed little promise. However, they had small bright spots with home runs by Adolis García and Corey Seager. It was Seagar’s third home run and García’s fourth in what is an average season for both players in 2022.
Unfortunately, the sluggers can’t lift the Rangers out of this rut alone. The team won’t get much help from starting pitcher Dane Dunning (0-1 4.91 ERA) or their bullpen. Most of their bullpen pitchers pitched last night after Garrett Richards only lasted one inning in his start against the Atlanta Braves.
With their bullpen exhausted and Dunning starting the game, the Rangers have little hope in this game. They will have a tough time holding off the Brave’s offense in this game.
Braves vs Rangers Head-to-Head
This game is the second meeting of the season. The Atlanta Braves are a 1.5-run sportsbook favorite coming into the game. After their 6-3 win Friday night, the Braves have the edge.
However, the last time these teams faced each other before 2022 was in 2017. The Texas Rangers went 2-1 against the Braves during that series.
Braves vs Rangers Game Information
- Game: Braves (10-11) vs Rangers (6-14)
- Location: Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
- Day/Time: Saturday, April 30, 7:05 p.m. ET
- Braves vs Rangers Streaming: MLB.tv
Braves vs Rangers Betting Lines
| Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Total | Team Total |
| Atlanta Braves B. Elder -R | -1½ +135 | -113 | 9Evo | 4½+105o / 4½-135u |
| Texas Rangers D. Dunning -R | +1½ -155 | +103 | 9-120u | 4½+115o / 4½-145u |
Braves vs Rangers Prediction
Neither starting pitcher inspires confidence with the odds here. However, those looking at how bad the Rangers played could see value in taking the Braves with plus odds on the run line. For the risk of giving up 1.5 runs, you can get +135, a solid return when betting online.
When making your MLB picks and parlays, taking the safe bet of the Braves Moneyline at -105 is the way to go. However, if you want to risk your money for a better payout, you can take the Braves to cover the 1.5 runs in a single wager bet.
