Braves Eye Third Straight Win
The Atlanta Braves try for a third straight victory when they take on the Miami Marlins in the opener of a three-game weekend series between division rivals on Friday night. Atlanta took the last two games of its series with the Colorado Rockies and is in second place in the National League East, three games behind the first-place New York Mets.
Miami has lost four in a row and is in fourth place in the division standings, 17½ games behind the third-place Philadelphia Phillies. These teams have seen each other a lot already this season, so to help with your bet online, read our in-depth preview of Friday’s series opener.
Let’s check the latest MLB odds, stats, injury reports, and MLB lines, for Marlins vs Braves. We’ve plenty of MLB spreads for you to consider.
Marlins Fall Short Against Contenders
The Miami Marlins have lost four straight, but considering the competition – the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays – and the fact that two of those losses came in 10 innings, the team is feeling like it’s just on the cusp of getting some wins. The Marlins would like to end the season on a positive note and they’re hoping to start it against the Atlanta Braves.
Having right-hander Sandy Alcantara on the mound for the series opener could help Miami. Alcantara is 12-6 and ranks second in baseball with a 2.13 ERA, striking out 167 in 185.2 innings over 26 starts. He’s coming off a complete-game win over the Dodgers on Saturday, allowing one run on six hits while striking out 10 and walking two.
Alcantara has two starts against the Braves this season, going 2-0 with a 0.53 ERA, including a complete-game victory. He’s allowed just one earned run against Atlanta in 17 innings, striking out 21 and walking two.
Third baseman Jon Berti accounted for the lone run in the Marlins’ 10-inning loss on Wednesday with a solo home run, but he had to leave the game with right hip soreness, so his status for Friday is uncertain. Berti is batting .259 with 14 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 21 RBIs, and 35 runs scored.
Strider Setting Records for Braves
The Atlanta Braves’ success of the past was built on a solid starting rotation, with some of the greatest pitchers of their era. But rookie right-hander Spencer Strider recorded more strikeouts in a game than any of them when he fanned 16 on Thursday night, breaking Hall of Famer John Smoltz’s team record of 15.
“I lost track after five,” Strider said after Thursday’s win. “I came out of the game and Kyle (Wright) was telling me something about John Smoltz or whatever, and I had no idea what he was talking about. It didn’t make any sense. And then somebody else said something and I just kind of looked cross-eyed at them and they were like, ‘You know what just happened?’ It was neat. It was very cool for them to tell me that.”
Veteran Charlie Morton will try to follow up that performance when he gets the start for Friday’s contest. Morton is 6-5 with a 4.10 ERA in 25 starts, striking out 168 in 140.1 innings. The 38-year-old had his troubles in his last start, going five innings against the St. Louis Cardinals and allowing four runs on five hits, including two home runs, while striking out four and walking three.
Third baseman Austin Riley hit his 33rd home run in Thursday’s win, tying him for third in baseball in the category. Riley is batting .289 with 36 doubles, two triples, 86 RBIs and 77 runs scored.
Outfielder Michael Harris II also had a home run in Thursday’s victory. The rookie is batting .298 with 22 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs, 46 RBIs, and 56 runs scored in 85 games.
Marlins vs Braves Head-To-Head
The Atlanta Braves have had the upper hand in the season series with the Miami Marlins, taking nine of the first 13 meetings, including the last five. Atlanta has won seven straight season series with the Marlins, including going 11-8 against Miami in 2021.
Atlanta hasn’t exactly dominated at home against Miami this season, going just 3-3 at Truist Park. The MLB lines for Friday’s season opener are favoring the home team.
Marlins vs Braves Game Information
- Game: Marlins (55-75) vs Braves (81-51)
- Location: Truist Park, Atlanta
- Day/Time: Friday Sept. 2, 7:20 p.m. ET
- Marlins vs Braves Live Stream:MLB.tv
Take a Look at Other Analysis, Picks & Predictions for This Week’s MLB Matchups
- Marlins vs Braves Preview, Live Stream, Odds, Picks & Predictions Sept. 3
- Rockies vs Braves Predictions, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds, Picks, Sept. 1
Marlins vs Braves Betting Lines
| Team | RunLine | Moneyline | Total | Team Total |
| Miami Marlins
S. Alcantara -R |
+1½ -150 | +150 | 7 Evo | 2½ -130o
2½ Evu |
| Atlanta Braves
C. Morton -R |
-1½ +130 | -170 | 7 -120u | 3½ -130o
3½ Evu |
Marlins vs Braves Prediction
The Miami Marlins are a threat in any game in which Alcantara is on the mound, so the Atlanta Braves can’t take them lightly. Although this is going to be a close contest, we like the Braves to come out on top.
When making your MLB picks, take Atlanta to get the win at home.
