NL East Rivals Clash
The Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves will begin a three-game series Friday as both teams look to put early-season struggles behind them. Atlanta is coming off of a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, whereas Miami shut out the St. Louis Cardinals 5-0.
The first pitch is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. ET at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Let’s check the latest MLB Picks, stats, injury reports, and MLB Odds for Marlins vs Braves. We’ve plenty of MLB Predictions.
Braves: Impending Turnaround
The Atlanta Braves defeated the Houston Astros in last year’s World Series and had a decent free agency period, losing Freddie Freeman but bringing in Kenley Jansen and Matt Olson as their marquee signings. However, their early-season record of 6-8 shows that they have been struggling. Most MLB picks still have Atlanta as one of the favorites to book another ticket back to the big stage, but the Braves need to turn it around.
Olson has impressed in his first season in Atlanta and Marcell Ozuna has also been a solid contributor. The team is eagerly awaiting the return of Ronald Acuna Jr., an MVP candidate who tore his ACL last season and played in his first minor league game this week on the road to recovery. Once he rejoins the starting lineup, the Braves will have a true catalyst to help steer them toward the pennant.
Kyle Wright (1-0, 1.64 ERA) will get the starting nod for Atlanta and will look to build off of a five-inning, two-earned run outing against the San Diego Padres a week ago.
Miami Road Woes
The Miami Marlins are struggling at 5-7 and with three straight road losses. They are a fairly young team that was not expected to be a heavy contender for the National League East and those prognostications have held true thus far.
Miami’s best player has been Jesus Sanchez, a 24-year-old right-fielder who has never been the full-time starter until now. The team ranks 15th overall in batting average and home runs and is bottom-third in total scoring, explaining some of their woes thus far.
Trevor Rogers will get the start for the Marlins. Although he was one of the best arms in the league last season, his recent performance against the Philadelphia Phillies, during which he gave up seven earned runs in 1.2 innings, completely ruined his ERA. He is also 0-2 in two starts, marking a forgettable start to the new season.
Marlins vs Braves Head-to-Head
This will be the first time the Braves and Marlins have crossed paths this season. Llast year, Atlanta took the season series 11-8. They Braves also won five of six encounters in the second half en route to their World Series triumph.
Marlins vs Braves Game Information
- Game: Miami Marlins (5-7) vs Atlanta Braves (6-8)
- Location: Truist Field
- Day/Time: Friday, April 22nd 7:20 p.m. ET
- Marlins vs BravesLive stream: MLB.tv
Marlins vs Braves Betting Lines
Marlins vs Braves Prediction
Conventional logic would suggest that the Atlanta Braves are the team to beat in this matchup, and according to MLB odds, they are. Atlanta has the better team on paper and faced tougher competition than the Marlins, which can at least partially justify their sub-.500 record.
The Marlins do have a legit arm on the mound in Rogers, however, despite his horrendous ERA and forgettable last performance. It is highly unlikely he duplicates his last appearance, and more likely keeps the Braves under a run or two for six innings, which is why the best pick in this game is Miami +1½. Sportsbooks still have this for decent odds.
The Braves have been too inconsistent at the plate to warrant any lopsided MLB lines, so moneyline bettors can still find good value there, but Roger has just built up too much trust to jump ship now.
Those looking to bet online can find more odds on the BETUS sportsbook.
