NL East Squads Square Off
The Atlanta Braves go for a second straight win against the visiting Miami Marlins in the second of a three-game weekend series between NL East rivals on Saturday night. Atlanta took the series opener, moving into second place in the division standings, four games behind the first-place New York Mets and a half-game ahead of the third-place Philadelphia Phillies.
Miami dropped to fourth in the division, a half-game behind the Phillies and only a half-game out of last place. Check out our in-depth preview to help you decide on what bet online you should make.
Let’s check the latest MLB Picks, stats, injury reports, and MLB Odds for Marlins vs Braves. We’ve plenty of MLB Predictions.
Marlins Struggling To Score
The Miami Marlins’ biggest problem is a lack of a consistent offensive attack, as they were shut out for the second time in three games on Friday night. Miami is 21st in runs scored with 45, but it’s been inconsistent output, with a total of 16 runs in their last two wins but a total of one run in their last three losses.
Outfielder Jesus Sanchez has been the best at the plate for the Marlins, leading the team with a .327 batting average and tying for the team lead with three home runs. The team’s best has his troubles, as Sanchez was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Friday and was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in Wednesday’s shutout loss.
Third baseman Joey Wendle is batting .314 with three doubles, four RBIs, and four runs scored. He didn’t play in the first game of the series though he may have just been celebrating after reaching a new deal with the team to avoid arbitration earlier on Friday.
Right-hander Elieser Hernandez will get the start. Hernandez is 1-1 with a 4.22 ERA in two starts, and he improved greatly in his second start. The 26-year-old went six innings against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, allowing one run on five hits while striking out five and walking one.
Braves Feeling Better at Home
After a rough West Coast road swing over the last week, the Atlanta Braves returned to play at home on Friday night and looked like a different team. It helped to have a dominant performance on the mound from Kyle Wright, who had a career-high 11 strikeouts in shutting out the Marlins for six innings.
“Those are such good moments for pitchers, young pitchers especially,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said after Friday’s win. “That could be a huge stepping stone for that kid.”
The Braves would like it to be a stepping stone to a successful homestand, with right-hander Ian Anderson looking to build on it on the mound on Saturday. Anderson is 1-1 with a 6.48 ERA in two starts, though he also improved greatly in his last outing.
After allowing five runs to the Cincinnati Reds in 2⅔ innings in his 2022 debut, Anderson faced the San Diego Padres on April 16 and dominated. Anderson went 5⅔ innings and gave up one run on just two hits while striking out seven and walking one.
First baseman Matt Olson had a two-run double in Friday’s win, adding to his fast start for his new team. Olson is batting .389 with seven doubles, two home runs, four RBIs, and 10 runs scored in his first season with Atlanta after coming over from the Oakland Athletics in the offseason.
Miami Marlins vs Atlanta Braves Head-to-Head
The Atlanta Braves continued their dominance with a series-opening win over the Miami Marlins, as they look for a seventh straight year of winning the season series. Atlanta won 11 of 19 matchups a season ago, including splitting 10 games at home with the Marlins.
The .500 record at home last season was a change, as Atlanta had won 21 of 27 against the visiting Marlins in the previous three campaigns. The MLB lines anticipate that previous dominance continuing, making the Braves a solid favorite for Saturday’s contest.
Miami Marlins vs Atlanta Braves Game Information
- Game: Miami Marlins (5-8) at Atlanta Braves (7-8)
- Location: Truist Park
- Day/Time: Saturday, 7:20 p.m. ET
- Live Stream: MLB TV
Miami Marlins vs Atlanta Braves Betting Lines
Miami Marlins vs Atlanta Braves Prediction
The Atlanta Braves are playing confidently and have a lot of offensive weapons ready to break out at home. The Miami Marlins’ offensive attack isn’t showing enough consistency to see them breaking through in this one, which will be won by the Braves.
When doing your MLB betting, take Atlanta to get the win at home.
