The Washington Nationals’ recent form and player performance

The Atlanta Braves’ recent form and player performance

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Washington Nationals

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Atlanta Braves

Recent betting trends in games played between the Atlanta Braves vs Washington Nationals

A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Atlanta Braves vs Washington Nationals game

Washington Nationals Preview

The Washington Nationals have a 22-27 record this season and are sitting in 4^th place in the NL East. The Nationals have an 11-12 home record and are 23-24 in over/under. They are coming off a 5-3 home victory over the Braves and have four consecutive wins. Under is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, and are playing the Giants and the Mariners next.

The Nationals have a .242 batting average this season, a .312 OBP, and a .390 Slugging percentage. Washington’s pitching staff has a 5.24 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. James Wood leads the Nationals with 53 hits and a team-high 12 home runs. Nathaniel Lowe leads the team in RBI with 34, while CJ Abrams is the team’s best hitter with a .312 batting average.

Trevor Williams (R) will take the mound for the Nationals, and he has a 2-5 record, 5.91 ERA, and 1.53 WHIP. He has been slightly better at home with a 5.48 ERA across four home starts, but he has given up 3+ runs in his last four starts. In his previous start against the Braves this season, he gave up 3 runs in 4.1 innings of work, and he has a 3-2 record with an ERA of 3.50 and 56 strikeouts in 12 appearances versus the Braves in his career.

Atlanta Braves Preview

The Atlanta Braves have a 24-24 record this season and are sitting in third place in the NL East. The Braves have a 9-17 road record and 18-26 in over/under. They are coming off a 3-5 road defeat by the Nationals, and are 5-3 in their last 8 games. Under is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and are playing the Padres and the Phillies next.

The Braves have a .246 batting average this season, a .318 OBP, and a .390 Slugging percentage. Atlanta’s pitching staff has a 3.78 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. Austin Riley leads the Braves with 56 hits, adding a team-high 28 RBI, and he is the team’s best hitter with a .283 batting average. Matt Olson adds a team-high 10 home runs.

AJ Smith-Shawver (R) will take the mound for the Braves, and he has a 3-2 record, 2.33 ERA, and 1.24 WHIP. He has been weaker on the road with a 3.15 ERA across four road starts, and he is in terrific form lately, with just one earned run in 19.2 innings pitched across three starts. In his previous start against the Nationals this season, he had a shutout performance in 6 innings pitched.

Why the Washington Nationals will win

• The Nationals have won each of their last four games as underdogs.
• The Braves have lost four of their last five games as road favorites against National League opponents.
• The Braves have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight night games against National League opponents.
• The Nationals have covered the run line in each of their last four games.
• The Nationals have led after 3 innings in nine of their last 11 home night games.
• The Braves have lost the first inning in four of their last five night games against NL East opponents that held a losing record.
• The Nationals have led after 5 innings in each of their last six night games at Nationals Park against NL East opponents.

Why the Atlanta Braves will win

• The Braves have won each of their last 10 night games at Nationals Park following a loss.
• The Nationals have lost each of their last nine Thursday night home games against NL East opponents.
• The Braves have covered the run line in each of their last five road games against NL East opponents following a loss.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in each of their last four games following a home win.
• The Nationals have trailed after 3 innings in six of their last seven home games against National League opponents.
• The Nationals have trailed after 5 innings in 10 of their last 11 games against NL East opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Braves’ last seven road games against National League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Six of the Nationals’ last seven games against National League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Braves’ last four games as road favorites against NL East opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in six of the Nationals’ last seven night games against National League opponents.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Nationals rank 27th in the league for ERA this season (5.24).
• The Nationals rank 27th in the league for opponent batting average this season (.267).
• The Braves rank 5th in the league for hits allowed this season (365).
• The Braves rank 9th in the league for runs allowed this season (186).

Braves vs Nationals Prediction

The Braves are 6-4 in their last 10 meetings against the Nationals, but the Nationals are 5-2 in their last 7 meetings in Washington. Under is 8-1-1 in their last 10 meetings.

In this Braves vs Nationals Prediction, the Braves are coming as -155 road favorites. The Braves have a slightly better overall record, but have been terrible on the road, and the Nationals have been mediocre at home. The Nationals are currently on a winning streak, but they have the pitching disadvantage and also have the second-worst bullpen in the MLB.

AJ Smith-Shawver is looking unhittable in his last three starts, and don’t expect a bottom-10 offense to get to him. The Braves have been consistently hitting righties better than the Nationals, so everything points to an easy Braves road win in this one. Take the Atlanta Braves on the runline.

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Washington Nationals Betting Preview

The Washington Nationals are 22-27 this season after they won game one by a score of 5-3 last night. Washington scored three runs in the first inning and took the lead for good in the second inning for the win. The Nationals recorded eight hits in the game, and they were led by Lowe, Ruiz, Garcia Jr., and Crews, who all had one RBI in the win. Washington started Parker, who allowed six hits and three earned runs in the win, while Finnegan picked up the save. 

Prior to this series, the Nationals swept the Orioles in three games, but lost three out of four against the Braves before that. Washington has won four games in a row, and they are currently fourth in the NL East standings. The Washington pitching staff has a 5.24 ERA with a 1.44 WHIP and a .267 opponent batting average, while the offense has scored 212 runs with a .242 batting average and a .312 on-base percentage this season. James Wood has led Washington with 12 home runs and 30 RBIs, while Nathaniel Lowe has added eight home runs and 34 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Washington is Trevor Williams, who is 2-5 with a 5.91 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP over 45.2 innings pitched this season. 

Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves are 24-24 this year after they dropped game one in this series on Tuesday night. Atlanta scored three runs in the second inning to tie the game at three, but went scoreless over the final seven innings for the loss. The Braves recorded seven hits and they committed one error in the game, while they were led by Olson, White, and Harris II, who all had one RBI in the loss. Atlanta started Strider, who allowed six hits and four earned runs over 4.1 innings for the loss, while Lee allowed two hits and one earned run in one relief inning. 

Prior to this series, the Braves won two out of three against the Red Sox and three out of four against the Nationals. Atlanta has won three of their last five games, and they are currently third in the NL East standings. The Atlanta pitching staff has a 3.78 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP and a .233 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 198 runs with a .246 batting average and a .318 on-base percentage this year. Austin Riley has led Atlanta with eight home runs and 28 RBIs, while Matt Olson has added 10 home runs and 26 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Atlanta is AJ Smith-Shawver, who is 3-2 with a 2.33 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP over 38.2 innings pitched this year. 

Why the Braves will beat the Nationals

• The Braves have won each of their last 10 night games at Nationals Park following a loss.
• The Nationals have lost each of their last six night games against the Braves at Nationals Park following a home win.
• The Braves have covered the run line in each of their last five road games against NL East opponents following a loss.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in each of their last four games following a home win.
• The Nationals have trailed after 3 innings in six of their last seven home games against National League opponents.
• The Nationals have trailed after 5 innings in 10 of their last 11 games against NL East opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Braves’ last seven road games against National League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Six of the Nationals’ last seven games against National League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Braves’ last four games as road favorites against NL East opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in six of the Nationals’ last seven night games against National League opponents.

Washington Nationals Player Prop Facts

• CJ Abrams has recorded at least one hit in each of the Nationals’ last nine home games against NL opponents.
• Amed Rosario has recorded at least one Single in each of his last seven appearances against NL East opponents.
• Josh Bell has scored at least one run in each of his last four home appearances against the Braves after playing the previous day.
• CJ Abrams has hit a home run in three of the Nationals’ last six games against the Braves.
• Keibert Ruiz has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Nationals’ last three games.
• Trevor Williams has recorded five or more strikeouts in six of his last seven home appearances.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Michael Harris has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 11 road appearances against NL East opponents.
• Alex Verdugo has recorded at least one Single in each of his last six road appearances against the Nationals after playing the previous day.
• Matt Olson has scored at least one run in each of the Braves’ last six road games.
• Matt Olson has hit a home run in each of the Braves’ last three night games against opponents that held a losing record.
• Michael Harris has recorded at least one RBI in seven of the Braves’ last eight road games against NL opponents that held a losing record.

Nationals vs Braves Prediction 

Washington was able to pick up a nice win in game one of this series, and they have won four games in a row. The Nationals are 11-12 at home this year, while the Braves are 9-17 on the road. Atlanta has had plenty of struggles on the road, but their offense is starting to wake up, and they are getting healthier. The Braves are starting Smith-Shawver, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in five straight starts. The Nats are going with Williams, who has allowed four earned runs or more in three of his last four. Take the Braves here. 

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Starting Pitching Matchup

The Atlanta Braves did not have a starting pitcher announced at the time that this article was posted. The Washington Nationals will trot out Mitchell Parker for the start here, and Parker is 3-3 with a 4.32 ERA and 32 strikeouts this season. In his career, Parker is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA and 14 strikeouts against the Braves.

Atlanta Braves Recap

The Atlanta Braves come into this game looking to build on their series win over the Boston Red Sox, thanks to picking up a 10-4 win in Sunday’s finale to improve to 24-23 on the year. After this series, the Braves will head home for a series against the San Diego Padres.

Braves Win 5 Of Their Last 7

Austin Riley leads the Braves with 56 hits, including 8 home runs, 28 RBIs, and 8 doubles, but also has the dubious distinction of leading Atlanta with 57 strikeouts so far this season. Ozzie Albies has 42 hits with 5 home runs and 17 RBIs in addition to 5 stolen bases, and Matt Olson has 41 hits with 8 doubles, 9 home runs, and 25 RBIs of his own. Marcell Ozuna also has 40 hits with 8 home runs and 22 RBIs. Michael Harris II also has 40 hits with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs, and 26 RBIs, and 7 stolen bases as well, and Nick Allen has 6 stolen bases as well this season.

Why the Atlanta Braves will win

• The Nationals have lost each of their last eight night games against the Braves at Nationals Park following a win.
• The Braves have won each of their last 25 Tuesday night games against NL East opponents.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight night games following a road win.
• The Braves have covered the run line in each of their last seven Tuesday games against NL East opponents.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Sean Murphy has recorded a Double in three of his last four road appearances against NL opponents.
• Michael Harris has recorded at least one RBI in six of the Braves’ last seven road games against NL opponents that held a losing record.
• Austin Riley has recorded at least one Single in each of the Braves’ last nine night games against NL opponents that held a losing record.
• Michael Harris has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 10 road appearances against NL East opponents.
• Orlando Arcia has hit a home run in three of his last four appearances in night games against NL East teams that held a losing record.
• Ronald Acuna Jr. has scored at least one run in seven of his last eight road appearances after not playing the previous day.
• Marcell Ozuna ranks 4th amongst qualified players for On Base Percentage (.420) this season.

Washington Nationals Recap

The Washington Nationals come into this game looking to build on their series sweep over the Baltimore Orioles after picking up a 10-4 win in Sunday’s final matchup. After this series, the Giants come to Nationals Park for a series.

Nationals Win Three Straight & 4 Of Last 5

Keibert Ruiz has 44 hits with 7 doubles and a pair of home runs with 17 RBIs, while James Wood has 51 hits with 11 doubles and a team-high 12 home runs, along with 30 RBIs and 7 stolen bases while also putting up 57 strikeouts. Nathaniel Lowe has 40 hits with 8 doubles and 33 RBIs, along with 8 home runs and 56 strikeouts. CJ Abrams has 8 home runs and 18 RBIs, along with 9 stolen bases, while Luis Garcia Jr. has 7 doubles and 6 stolen bases of his own this season. Dylan Crews has also logged a team-high 11 stolen bases this season.

Why the Washington Nationals will win

• The Braves have lost each of their last four games as favorites against the Nationals following a road win.
• The Nationals have won four of their last five games as underdogs.
• The Braves have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight games as road favorites following a road win.
• The Nationals have covered the run line in four of their last five games.

Washington Nationals Player Prop Facts

• Nathaniel Lowe has hit a home run in four of his last seven home appearances against NL East opponents that held a winning record.
• Nathaniel Lowe has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Nationals’ last four games against NL East opponents that held a winning record.
• Keibert Ruiz has recorded at least one Single in each of his last eight appearances after not playing the previous day.
• CJ Abrams has recorded at least one hit in each of the Nationals’ last 13 games against NL opponents that held a winning record.
• Amed Rosario has scored at least one run in seven of his last eight appearances at Nationals Park against NL East opponents that held a winning record.
• CJ Abrams ranks 5th amongst qualified players for Slugging Percentage (.574) this season.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Braves’ last six road games against National League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Six of the Nationals’ last seven games as home underdogs have gone OVER the total runs line.

Nationals vs Braves Prediction

I’m on the Nationals here. I’ve heard rumblings that it could be Spencer Strider who gets the start here, but the thing is that the Nationals have been providing value during this recent run. Furthermore, I keep worrying that the Braves’ offense continues to be hit-and-miss. Parker’s best stuff, more often than not over the better part of his career, has come out at home, and I think the Nationals draw first blood here. Give me Washington.

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Boston Red Sox Betting Preview

The Boston Red Sox are 23-24 this year after they split the first two games in this series by scores of 2-4 and 7-6. In their game two win, Boston trailed 6-2 in the fourth inning, but they rallied in the late innings and won in the bottom of the ninth. The Red Sox recorded 10 hits in the game, and they were led by Duran, who went 2-5 with one home run and four RBIs in the win. Boston started Giolito, who allowed eight hits and six earned runs over 4.0 innings, while Chapman picked up the save in the ninth. 

Prior to this series, the Red Sox lost all three against the Tigers, but did win two out of three against the Royals before that. Boston has lost four of their last five games, and they are currently tied for second in the AL East standings. The Boston pitching staff has a 4.03 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP and a .255 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 230 runs with a .255 batting average and a .327 on-base percentage this season. Alex Bregman has led Boston with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs, while Wilyer Abreu has added 11 home runs and 27 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Boston is Brayan Bello, who is 2-0 with a 2.33 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP over 27.0 innings pitched this year. 

Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves are 23-23 this season after they lost game two by a score of 7-6 on Saturday night. Atlanta led 5-0 in the third and 6-2 in the fourth, but their bullpen fell apart in the last three innings. The Braves recorded 13 hits and they committed one error in the game, while they were led by Olson and Baldwin, who both had two RBIs in the win. Atlanta started Holmes, who allowed three hits and two earned runs over 6.0 innings, while Montero and Johnson combined to allow three earned runs in the final two innings. 

Prior to this series, the Braves won three out of four against the Nationals, but lost two out of three against the Pirates before that. Atlanta has won four of their last six games, and they are currently third in the NL East standings. The Atlanta pitching staff has a 3.74 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP and a .232 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 185 runs with a .243 batting average and a .315 on-base percentage this year. Austin Riley has led Atlanta with eight home runs and 27 RBIs, while Matt Olson has added nine home runs and 24 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Atlanta is Spencer Schwellenbach, who is 2-3 with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP over 54.1 innings pitched this season. 

Why the Red Sox will beat the Braves

• The Red Sox have won each of their last 10 games against NL East opponents following a home win.
• The Braves have lost four of their last five games as road favorites against AL East opponents following a loss.
• The underdogs have covered the run line in each of the Red Sox’s last eight games.
• The Braves have failed to cover the run line in each of their last four games as road favorites.
• The Red Sox have led after 5 innings in each of their last nine Sunday home games.
• The Red Sox have led after 3 innings in five of their last six home day games.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Braves’ last six games as road favorites have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the Red Sox’s last four games after playing the previous day have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Braves’ last five games as road favorites.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in 12 of the Red Sox’s last 15 games as home underdogs.

Boston Red Sox Player Prop Facts

• Alex Bregman has hit a home run in each of the Red Sox’s last two games as underdogs.
• Jarren Duran has recorded a Double in six of the Red Sox’s last eight games as underdogs against NL opponents.
• Jarren Duran has recorded at least one RBI in seven of the Red Sox’s last eight games as underdogs against NL opponents.
• Rafael Devers has recorded at least one Single in each of his last eight appearances with the Red Sox as home underdogs.
• Jarren Duran has scored at least one run in eight of the Red Sox’s last nine games as underdogs against NL opponents.
• Rafael Devers has recorded at least one hit in each of his last nine appearances with the Red Sox as home underdogs.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Sean Murphy has recorded a Double in three of his last four appearances with the Braves as road favorites.
• Matt Olson has hit a home run in each of the Braves’ last three games against AL opponents.
• Matt Olson has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Braves’ last four games against AL opponents.
• Matt Olson has recorded at least one Single in each of the Braves’ last six road games against AL opponents that held a losing record.
• Michael Harris has scored a run in each of the Braves’ last five day games against AL opponents that held a losing record.
• Ronald Acuna Jr. has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 10 appearances in day games against AL teams that held a losing record.

Red Sox vs Braves Prediction 

Boston was able to snap their losing streak with a comeback victory on Saturday night, and it will look for the series win here. The Red Sox are 12-10 at home this year, while the Braves are 8-16 on the road. Atlanta will look to play a more complete game here, and they will start Schwellenbach, who has allowed a total of two earned runs in his last 13.0 innings. Boston is going with Bello, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. This should be another entertaining matchup, but I feel like Boston has all of the momentum and will get another win here. 

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Starting Pitching Matchup

The Atlanta Braves will start Grant Holmes in this one, and Holmes is 2-3 with a 4.14 ERA and 44 strikeouts this season. This will be Holmes’ first career start against the Red Sox. Lucas Giolito will get the start for the Red Sox here and is 1-1 with a 5.51 ERA and 14 strikeouts this season. In his career, Giolito is 0-2 with a 12.10 ERA and 9 strikeouts against Atlanta.

Atlanta Braves Recap

The Atlanta Braves come into this game looking to add on to their 4-2 win over the Red Sox from Friday’s series opener to improve to 23-22 on the year. After this series, the Braves will head on the road for a rematch series against the Nationals.

Braves Finally Above .500

Austin Riley leads the Braves with 52 hits, including 8 home runs, 26 RBIs, and 8 doubles, but also has the dubious distinction of leading Atlanta with 55 strikeouts so far this season. Ozzie Albies has 38 hits with 5 home runs and 16 RBIs in addition to 5 stolen bases, and Matt Olson has 34 hits with 6 doubles, 7 home runs, and 21 RBIs of his own. Marcell Ozuna also has 37 hits with 6 home runs and 18 RBIs. Michael Harris II also has 39 hits with 8 doubles, 3 home runs, and 25 RBIs, and 7 stolen bases as well, and Nick Allen has 5 stolen bases as well this season.

Why the Atlanta Braves will win

• The Braves have won each of their last four games as underdogs after playing the previous day.
• The Red Sox have lost each of their last six night games against National League opponents that held a winning record.
• The underdogs have covered the run line in each of the Red Sox’s last seven games.
• The Red Sox have failed to cover the run line each of their last six night games against National League opponents that held a winning record.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Sean Murphy has hit at least one home run in five of his last six appearances with the Braves as road underdogs.
• Sean Murphy has recorded a Double in three of his last four road appearances after playing the previous day.
• Sean Murphy has recorded at least one RBI in five of his last six appearances with the Braves as road underdogs.
• Ozzie Albies has scored at least one run in each of the Braves’ last five games as road underdogs.
• Michael Harris has recorded a Single in each of the Braves’ last seven night games against AL East opponents that held a losing record.
• Ronald Acuna Jr. has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 11 Saturday appearances with the Braves as underdogs.
• Marcell Ozuna ranks 6th amongst qualified players for On Base Percentage (.410) this season.

Boston Red Sox Recap

The Boston Red Sox come into this game looking to bounce back after their loss to the Braves in Friday’s series opener to fall to 22-24 this season. After this series, the Red Sox will welcome the New York Mets to town for another interleague home series.

Red Sox Lose Fourth Straight

Alex Bregman leads the Red Sox with 55 hits, including a team-high 15 doubles, along with 11 home runs and 33 RBIs, while Rafael Devers has added 47 hits with 12 doubles, 7 home runs, and 32 RBIs this season. Trevor Story added 39 hits with 6 home runs, 19 RBIs, and 8 stolen bases, while Jarren Duran has 49 hits with 10 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs, 23 RBIs, and a team-high 11 stolen bases. Kristian Campbell added 35 hits with 8 doubles, 5 homers, and 15 RBIs while Wilyer Abreu has 11 home runs with 27 RBIs and 4 stolen bases, and Ceddanne Rafaela has 2 homers, 2 triples, 18 RBIs, and 7 stolen bases this season.

Why the Boston Red Sox will win

• The Braves have lost each of their last six road games against AL East opponents following a road win.
• The Red Sox have won four of their last five games against NL East opponents following a home loss.
• The Braves have failed to cover the run line in each of their last six road games against AL East opponents following a road win.
• The Red Sox have covered the run line in seven of their last eight games against teams that held a winning record.

Boston Red Sox Player Prop Facts

• Trevor Story has hit a home run in three of his last four appearances in night games against NL East teams that held a winning record.
• Ceddanne Rafaela has recorded at least one Single in each of his last six home appearances after playing the previous day.
• Alex Bregman has scored at least one run in each of his last six home appearances against NL opponents.
• Lucas Giolito has recorded six or more strikeouts in five of his last six appearances with his team as a favorite.
• Trevor Story has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 17 appearances with his team as a home favorite against NL East opponents.
• Triston Casas has recorded at least one RBI in each of his last four home appearances against NL East opponents.
• Masataka Yoshida has recorded a Double in three of his last four appearances with the Red Sox as favorites against NL opponents.
• Alex Bregman ranks T5th in the league in Hits (55) this season.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Braves’ last seven road games have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Seven of the last eight games between the Braves and Red Sox have gone UNDER the total runs line.

Red Sox vs Braves Prediction

I’m on the Braves in this game. I get that the Red Sox still have a solid lineup and Giolito looked good last time out, but the thing is that he was rocked in his first start at Fenway. The Braves are a team that’s playing with some confidence right now. Grant Holmes isn’t my favorite option in this Braves’ rotation, but I think he and the Braves’ bullpen will be good enough to get the win here. Give me Atlanta.

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Boston Red Sox Betting Preview

The Boston Red Sox are 22-23 this season after they were swept by Detroit by scores of 2-14, 9-10, and 5-6. In their game three loss, Boston erased a 5-2 deficit in the seventh inning, but they allowed a run in the bottom of the ninth for the loss. The Red Sox recorded 11 hits and they committed one error in the game, while they were led by Rafaela, Refsnyder, Bregman, Devers, and Duran, who all had one RBI in the loss. Boston started Dobbins, who allowed nine hits and five earned runs over 5.0 innings, while Chapman picked up the loss in the ninth. 

Prior to that series, the Red Sox won two out of three against the Royals and two out of three against the Rangers. Boston has lost four of their last six games, and they are currently tied for second in the AL East standings. The Boston pitching staff has a 3.99 ERA with a 1.30 WHIP and a .253 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 221 runs with a .255 batting average and a .326 on-base percentage this season. Alex Bregman has led Boston with 11 home runs and 33 RBIs, while Wilyer Abreu has added 11 home runs and 27 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Boston is Garrett Crochet, who is 4-2 with a 1.93 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP over 56.0 innings pitched this season. 

Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves are 22-22 this year after they won three out of four against Washington by scores of 4-3, 5-2, 4-5, and 5-2. In their game four win, Atlanta scored the first four runs in the game, and they added an insurance run in the eighth. The Braves recorded nine hits and they committed one error in the game, while they were led by White, Allen, Ozuna, Baldwin, and Verdugo, who all had one RBI in the win. Atlanta started Smith-Shawver, who allowed two hits and zero earned runs over 6.0 innings for the win, while Iglesias picked up the save. 

Prior to that series, the Braves lost two out of three against the Pirates, but did win three out of four against the Reds before that. Atlanta has won four of their last six games, and they are currently third in the NL East standings. The Atlanta pitching staff has a 3.70 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP and a .232 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 175 runs with a .241 batting average and a .312 on-base percentage this year. Austin Riley has led Atlanta with eight home runs and 26 RBIs, while Matt Olson has added seven home runs and 21 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Atlanta is Chris Sale, who is 1-3 with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP over 47.2 innings pitched this year. 

Why the Red Sox will beat the Braves

• The Braves have lost each of their last five games against AL East opponents following a win.
• The Red Sox have won each of their last seven games as favorites against NL East opponents.
• The Red Sox have covered the run line in each of their last six games as favorites against the Braves following a loss.
• The Braves have failed to cover the run line in each of their last six games as underdogs against the Red Sox following a win.
• The Red Sox have led after 5 innings in each of their last six games as favorites against NL East opponents.
• The Red Sox have led after 3 innings in each of their last six games as favorites against NL East opponents.

Why the Braves will beat the Red Sox

• The Red Sox have lost each of their last eight games against NL East opponents following a road loss.
• The Braves have won each of their last three games as underdogs after playing the previous day.
• The Red Sox have failed to cover the run line in each of their last nine Friday night home games against National League opponents.
• The underdogs have covered the run line in each of the Red Sox’s last six games.
• The Braves have won the first inning in each of their last three night games against AL East opponents.
• The Braves have led after 5 innings in each of their last four games.
• The Red Sox have trailed after 3 innings in four of their last five night games against National League opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Braves’ last six road games have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Seven of the Red Sox’s last eight games against NL East opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in nine of the Braves’ last 10 games as road underdogs.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Red Sox’s last five games as home favorites against NL East opponents.

Boston Red Sox Player Prop Facts

• Rafael Devers has recorded a Double in three of the Red Sox’s last four games as home favorites against NL East opponents.
• Alex Bregman has recorded at least one RBI in seven of his last eight home appearances against NL East opponents.
• Trevor Story has scored at least one run in each of his last eight appearances with his team as a home favorite against NL East opponents.
• Trevor Story has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 16 appearances with his team as a home favorite against NL East opponents.
• Wilyer Abreu has recorded at least one Single in nine of his last 10 home appearances against NL opponents.
• Wilyer Abreu has hit at least one home run in three of the Red Sox’s last four games as favorites.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Sean Murphy has hit at least one home run in four of his last five appearances with the Braves as road underdogs.
• Sean Murphy has recorded a Double in three of his last four road appearances against opponents that held a losing record.
• Michael Harris has recorded at least one RBI in seven of the Braves’ last eight road games against opponents that held a losing record.
• Chris Sale has recorded a win in each of his last three appearances at Fenway Park against AL East opponents that held a losing record.
• Austin Riley has recorded at least one Single in each of the Braves’ last 10 night games against opponents that held a losing record.
• Chris Sale has recorded nine or more strikeouts in six of his seven previous appearances against former teams.
• Austin Riley has recorded at least one hit in each of the Braves’ last 13 night games.
• Ronald Acuna Jr. has scored at least one run in each of his last nine Friday appearances against teams that held a losing record.

David Racey is 20-12 (63%) in the MLB over the last seven days. Click here for his premium plays for today!

Red Sox vs Braves Prediction 

Both of these teams come into this series with very similar records, but Boston will be trying to bounce back from a tough series in Detroit, where they allowed 30 runs in three games. The Red Sox are 11-9 at home this year, while the Braves are 7-15 on the road. Atlanta picked up a nice series win over Washington earlier in the week, and they are starting Sale, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in five straight starts. Boston is going with Crochet, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five. Take the under here. 

Read the rest of "Red Sox vs Braves Prediction 5/16/25 MLB Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Washington Nationals Betting Preview

The Washington Nationals (18-26, 8-14 Away) went through their worst stretch of the season, during which they suffered seven consecutive defeats, but snapped it with a 5-4 win in Atlanta on Wednesday. The Nationals lost the series to the Guardians, were swept by the Cardinals, and lost the opening two games of the current series before last night’s victory. Washington came back from a 4-1 deficit to beat the Braves. Mitchell Parker pitched for 4.2 innings in a no-decision, allowing four runs on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks. Jose Ferrer was credited with the win.

This year, the Nationals average 4.09 runs per game (18th in the MLB) on a .237/.306/.377 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Nationals’ staff has a 5.42 ERA (28th) and 1.46 WHIP (26th). Nathaniel Lowe leads the Nationals with a .230 batting average, seven home runs, and 30 RBI this season.

The projected starting pitcher for the Nationals is Trevor Williams, who is 2-4 in eight starts this season, with a 5.88 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in 41.1 innings.

Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves (21-22, 14-7 Home) beat the Reds, lost to the Pirates, and opened this series against the Washington Nationals with a pair of victories. The Braves had a 4-1 lead in Game 3, but the Nats scored four runs in the 7th and 8th innings to snatch a victory. Marcell Ozuna led the team with two RBI, while Bryce Elder pitched for 6.0 innings in a no-decision, allowing one run on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk. Enyel De Los Santos took the loss.

This season, the Braves average 3.95 runs per game (22nd in the MLB) on a .240/.312/.382 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Braves’ staff has a 3.78 ERA (12th) and 1.23 WHIP (12th). Austin Riley leads the Braves with a .287 batting average, eight home runs, and 26 RBI this season.

AJ Smith-Shawver will take the mound for the Braves on Thursday. The 22-year-old right-hander has a 2-2 record in six starts this year with a 2.76 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 32.2 innings.

Why the Braves will cover

• The Nationals have lost seven of their last eight games.
• The Braves have won seven of their last eight games against NL East opponents following a loss.
• The Braves have covered the run line in four of their last five games as favorites against NL East opponents following a loss.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in four of their last five games against the Braves following a road win.
• The Braves have led after 3 innings in three of their last four home games against National League opponents.
• The Braves have led after 5 innings in each of their last four home games.

Total Runs Facts

• Six of the Braves’ last seven day games against National League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Four of the Nationals’ last five games have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in eight of the Nationals’ last nine day games at Truist Park.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Braves’ last seven Thursday games at Truist Park.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Braves rank T8th in the league for runs allowed this season (169).
• The Braves rank T9th in the league for triples this season (6).
• The Nationals rank 28th in the league for runs allowed this season (238).
• The Nationals rank 27th in the league for opponent batting average this season (.266).

Braves vs Nationals Prediction

The teams have traded victories in the past couple of years, each recording five in the previous ten H2H duels. I am backing the Braves to win Game 4 because I like their start better than Washington’s. AJ Smith-Shawver allowed just five runs in his last four starts and is currently the best starter the Braves have. Trevor Williams, on the other hand, allowed 4+ runs in each of his last three starts – 13 earned runs in total. I believe he will continue to struggle on Thursday, and the Braves’ batter has a solid chance to score multiple runs off Williams early on. This time, the Nats will not come back from behind to win. Back Atlanta to win and cover the run line.

Read the rest of "Braves vs Nationals Prediction 5/15/25 MLB Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Before we dive into the Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves game let’s review the rules for the Draftkings MLB single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for tomorrow afternoon’s Nationals vs. Braves matchup.

Draftkings MLB Showdown Picks

Captain-AJ Smith-Shawver, Starting Pitcher, Atlanta Braves $12,400

This Wednesday afternoon, Major League Baseball presents the final game of a four-game National League series featuring the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves.

How are these two teams playing entering tomorrow’s National League game? The Atlanta Braves arrive at the fourth game of this four-game series with the Washington Nationals playing good baseball. The Braves have won seven of the team’s last 11 games played in the 2025 MLB regular season, including a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates last week.

In direct contrast to the Atlanta Braves, the Washington Nationals are playing below average baseball entering tomorrow afternoon’s game. More specifically, the Nationals have lost seven of the team’s last eight games played in the 2025 MLB regular season, including a 6-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals three days ago.

Now that we have determined how both teams are currently playing let’s shift our focus to tomorrow’s game. Talented starting pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver has been a standout performer for the Atlanta Braves this season. With that said, how has Smith-Shawver pitched from a statistical perspective? Let’s review Smith-Shawver’s game data to answer that question.

Through six starts made for the Atlanta Braves this season, starting pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver has compiled a robust 2.75 ERA (Earned Run Average) and a 1.35 WHIP (walks, hits, inning pitched). It should also be noted that Smith-Shawver has amassed 34 strikeouts while allowing 15 walks in 32.2 innings pitched in 2025.

Earlier this month, in the Atlanta Braves 4-0 shutout victory over the Cincinnati Reds, AJ Smith-Shawver certainly pitched at a high level. Let me be more specific. Smith-Shawver pitched eight quality innings striking out five Reds batters while scattering one hit and four walks in the Braves defeat of the Reds.

In my opinion, AJ Smith-Shawver is the most likely player to post the highest number of Draftkings points in tomorrow’s National League game. For that specific reason, I am rolling with Atlanta Braves starting pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver at the captain position for this one game MLB Draftkings Showdown contest.

Flex plays I like to play well in this MLB regular game (Draftkings price noted): Trevor Williams, Starting Pitcher (Washington Nationals) $10,400: James Wood, Outfielder (Washington Nationals) $9,200: Austin Riley, Third Baseman (Atlanta Braves) $9,400.

Read the rest of "Draftkings MLB Showdown Picks: Nationals vs. Braves 5/15/25" at Sports Chat Place

Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves are 21-21 this season, and they have won the first two games of this series by scores of 4-3 and 5-2. In their game two win, Atlanta trailed 2-0 early in the game, but they scored the last five runs in the game for the win. The Braves recorded 11 hits in the game, and they were led by Baldwin, who went 3-4 with one home run and two RBIs in the win. Atlanta started Schwellenbach, who allowed four hits and two earned runs over 7.0 innings for the win, while Johnson picked up the save. 

Prior to this series, the Braves lost two out of three against the Pirates, but did win three out of four against the Reds. Atlanta has won seven of their last ten games, and they are currently third in the NL East standings. The Atlanta pitching staff has a 3.78 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP and a .230 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 166 runs with a .240 batting average and a .312 on-base percentage this year. Austin Riley has led Atlanta with eight home runs and 26 RBIs, while Sean Murphy has added seven home runs and 17 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Atlanta is Bryce Elder, who is 2-2 with a 4.97 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP over 38.0 innings pitched this season. 

Washington Nationals Betting Preview

The Washington Nationals are 17-26 this year after they lost game two by a score of 5-2. Washington scored the first two runs in the game, and they were looking solid, but they allowed runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings for the loss. The Nationals recorded five hits and they committed one error in the game, while they were led by Abrams, who went 1-4 with one home run and one RBI in the loss. Washington started Soroka, who allowed four hits and two earned runs over 4.0 innings, while Lord allowed five hits and two earned runs over 2.0 innings for the loss. 

Prior to this series, the Nationals lost all three against the Cardinals and two out of three against the Guardians. Washington has lost seven games in a row, and they are currently fourth in the NL East standings. The Washington pitching staff has a 5.42 ERA with a 1.46 WHIP and a .267 opponent batting average, while the offense has scored 176 runs with a .237 batting average and a .306 on-base percentage this season. James Wood has led Washington with 11 home runs and 24 RBIs, while Nathaniel Lowe has added seven home runs and 29 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Washington is Mitchell Parker, who is 3-3 with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP over 45.1 innings pitched this year. 

Why the Braves will beat the Nationals

• The Nationals have lost each of their last seven games.
• The Braves have won each of their last four games against NL East opponents that held a losing record.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight night games against NL East opponents following a road loss.
• The Nationals have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last eight games against NL East opponents.
• The Nationals have trailed after 3 innings in 10 of their last 12 games as underdogs against National League opponents.

Why the Nationals will beat the Braves

• The Nationals have won seven of their last eight Wednesday games as underdogs against the Braves.
• The Braves have lost three of their last four games as favorites against NL East opponents following a home win.
• The Braves have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight games.
• The Nationals have covered the run line in each of their last six Wednesday games at Truist Park.
• The Braves have lost the first inning in three of their last four home games against National League opponents that held a losing record.
• The Braves have trailed after 3 innings in four of their last five home games against opponents that held a losing record.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the last six games between the Nationals and Braves at Truist Park have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the Nationals’ last four games have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in nine of the last 11 night games between the Nationals and Braves.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in four of the Nationals’ last five night games against National League opponents.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Austin Riley has recorded an RBI in four of the Braves’ last five games against NL East opponents.
• Austin Riley has recorded at least one Single in each of the Braves’ last nine night games against opponents that held a losing record.
• Austin Riley has scored at least one run in each of his last six Wednesday night appearances at Truist Park.
• Alex Verdugo has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 10 appearances against the Nationals after playing the previous day.
• Orlando Arcia has hit a home run in three of his last four appearances in night games against NL East teams that held a losing record.

Washington Nationals Player Prop Facts

• CJ Abrams has hit a home run in two of the Nationals’ last three games against the Braves.
• Amed Rosario has recorded an RBI in four of his last five appearances with the Nationals as underdogs against NL East opponents.
• Keibert Ruiz has scored a run in four of the Nationals’ last five games at Truist Park.
• Jacob Young has recorded at least one Single in each of his last six road appearances against the Braves after playing the previous day.
• Amed Rosario has recorded at least one hit in 14 of his last 15 road appearances against the Braves after playing the previous day.

David Racey is 22-11 (67%) in the MLB over the last seven days. Click here for his premium plays for today!

Braves vs Nationals Prediction 

Washington limps into this contest on a seven-game losing streak, and they are just 7-14 on the road this year. The Nationals have scored two runs or fewer in four of their last five games, while their pitching staff has allowed at least five runs in three of their last five. Washington is starting Parker, who has allowed 4, 5, and 6 earned runs in his last three starts. Atlanta is going with Elder, who has allowed three earned runs or more in three of his last five. Take the over in this game.  

Read the rest of "Braves vs Nationals Prediction 5/14/25 MLB Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Washington Nationals Betting Preview

The Washington Nationals are 17-25 on the year and play the Orioles, Braves, and Giants next. The Washington Nationals are batting .239 on the season, have a .309 OBP, and a .380 slugging percentage. The Washington Nationals’ pitching staff has a 5.42 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. James Wood leads the Washington Nationals with 44 hits and 24 RBI, while Keibert Ruiz and Nathaniel Lowe have combined for 77 hits and 43 RBI.

Michael Soroka gets the ball for the Washington Nationals, and he is 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA and 11 strikeouts this season. This will be Soroka’s first career game against the Atlanta Braves.

Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves are 20-21 on the year and play the Red Sox, Nationals, and Padres next. The Atlanta Braves are batting .238 on the season, have a .310 OBP, and a .381 slugging percentage. The Atlanta Braves pitching staff has a 3.82 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Austin Riley leads the Atlanta Braves with 48 hits and 25 RBI, while Michael Harris II and Marcell Ozuna have combined for 72 hits and 40 RBI.

Spencer Schwellenbach gets the ball for the Atlanta Braves, and he is 1-3 with a 3.61 ERA and 43 strikeouts this season. This will be Schwellenbach’s second career game against the Washington Nationals.

Why the Atlanta Braves will win

• The Braves have won each of their last 24 Tuesday night games against NL East opponents.
• The Nationals have lost each of their last six games.
• The Braves have covered the run line in each of their last six Tuesday games against NL East opponents.
• The Nationals have failed to cover the run line in four of their last five games as underdogs.
• The Nationals have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last seven games against NL East opponents.
• The Nationals have trailed after 3 innings in 10 of their last 11 games as underdogs against National League opponents.

Why the Washington Nationals will win

• The Nationals have won five of their last six games as road underdogs against the Braves following a road loss.
• The Braves have lost eight of their last 10 games as favorites against the Nationals following a win.
• The Braves have failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven games.
• The road team has covered the run line in each of the Nationals’ last six games.
• The Nationals have led after 5 innings in five of their last six games against the Braves at Truist Park.
• The Nationals have led after 3 innings in five of their last six games against opponents that held a losing record.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Alex Verdugo has recorded a Double in four of his last five appearances with his team as a home favorite against the Nationals.
• Michael Harris has recorded at least one RBI in four of the Braves’ last five games against NL opponents.
• Austin Riley has recorded at least one Single in each of the Braves’ last eight night games against opponents that held a losing record.
• Austin Riley has scored at least one run in each of the Braves’ last four games against NL East opponents.
• Alex Verdugo has recorded at least one hit in each of his last nine appearances against the Nationals after playing the previous day.
• Orlando Arcia has hit a home run in three of his last four appearances in night games against NL East teams that held a losing record.
• Marcell Ozuna ranks 4th amongst qualified players for On Base Percentage (.428) this season.

Washington Nationals Player Prop Facts

• Keibert Ruiz has hit a home run in three of his last seven road appearances against NL East opponents that held a losing record.
• Jacob Young has scored at least one run in eight of the Nationals’ last nine road games against NL East opponents that held a losing record.
• Nathaniel Lowe has recorded at least one RBI in six of the Nationals’ last seven road games against NL East opponents.
• Michael Soroka has recorded five or more strikeouts in seven of his last nine appearances at Truist Park.
• Keibert Ruiz has recorded at least one Single in each of the Nationals’ last seven road games against NL East opponents.
• Keibert Ruiz has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 10 appearances against NL East opponents that held a losing record.
• James Wood ranks T8th in the league in Home Runs (11) this season.

Braves vs Nationals Prediction

The Nationals are watching their season slip away quickly thanks to an offense that doesn’t have much bite. This game isn’t any more encouraging with Soroka on the mound, who has allowed 10 hits and eight runs in 10 innings. Schwellenbach has had his ups and downs this season, but he’s at his best at home, where he has a 2.93 ERA and .254 allowed batting average in 30.2 innings. As I mentioned yesterday, the Braves have to take advantage of a series like this if they’re going to stay in the playoff chase. No excuses in games like this. Give me the Braves, and of course I’ll lay the RL to shave down the price.

Read the rest of "Braves vs Nationals Prediction 5/13/25 MLB Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Washington Nationals Betting Preview

The Washington Nationals (17-24, 7-12 Away) are going through their worst period of the season after losing the previous five games. Following a series loss to the Guardians, the Cardinals swept the Nationals in three games. In Game 3, a 6-1 defeat, Mackenzie Gore took the loss after allowing four runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and three walks in 6.2 innings.

This year, the Nationals average 4.17 runs per game (18th in the MLB) on a .239/.309/.379 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Nationals’ staff has a 5.45 ERA (28th) and 1.45 WHIP (26th). Nathaniel Lowe leads the Nationals with a .242 batting average, seven home runs, and 29 RBI this season.

Jake Irvin will take the mound for the Nationals on Monday. The 28-year-old right-hander has a 2-1 record in eight starts this year with a 3.94 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 48.0 innings.

Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves (19-21, 12-6 Home) have been fairly inconsistent lately; they beat the Rockies, lost to the Dodgers, defeated the Reds, and lost to the Pirates over the last four series. In the most recent 4-3 defeat to Pittsburgh, Sean Murphy drove in all three RBI as a pinch hitter in the 8th inning, while Chris Sale pitched for 5.2 innings in a no-decision, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits with eight strikeouts and two walks. Raisel Iglesias took the loss.

This year, the Braves average 3.92 runs per game (21st in the MLB) on a .237/.310/.380 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Braves’ staff has a 3.89 ERA (16th) and 1.25 WHIP (15th). Austin Riley leads the Braves with a .283 batting average, eight home runs, and 25 RBI this season.

The projected starting pitcher for the Braves is Grant Holmes, who is 2-3 in seven starts this season, with a 4.58 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 39.1 innings.

Total Runs Facts

• Seven of the Braves’ last eight games against National League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Five of the Nationals’ last six games as underdogs have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Braves’ last six Monday games at Truist Park.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in nine of the Nationals’ last 11 road games against NL East opponents.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Braves rank T9th in the league for runs allowed this season (159).
• The Braves rank 21st in the league for runs scored this season (157).
• The Nationals rank 27th in the league for hits allowed this season (366).
• The Nationals rank T26th in the league for walks allowed this season (157).

Braves vs Nationals Prediction

The Nationals won six of the previous ten H2H encounters, but the Braves were better in three of the last five. Washington’s defense has been awful recently, as they have allowed 8+ runs in seven of the last nine games, so I am sure the Braves will know to exploit their weaknesses at home on Monday. Jake Irvin allowed multiple runs in six of his eight starts this year, while Grant Holmes surrendered ten runs in his previous two starts. I trust neither of them, and I think the offenses will have a field day here. Go with Over.

Read the rest of "Braves vs Nationals Prediction 5/12/25 MLB Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Before we dive into the Atlanta Braves vs. Pittsburgh Pirates game let’s review the rules for the Draftkings MLB single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for tonight’s Atlanta Braves vs. Pittsburgh Pirates matchup.

Draftkings MLB Showdown Picks

Captain-Chris Sale, Starting Pitcher, Atlanta Braves $12,200

On Sunday afternoon, Major League Baseball presents the final game of a three-game National League series featuring the Atlanta Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

How are these two teams playing entering tonight’s MLB game? The Atlanta Braves arrive at the third game of this three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates playing good baseball. The Braves have won five of the team’s last seven games played in the 2025 MLB regular season, including a 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds two days ago.

In direct contrast to the Atlanta Braves, the Pittsburgh Pirates are not playing well entering this afternoon’s game. More specifically, the Pirates have lost eight of the team’s last nine games played in the 2025 MLB regular season, including a 4-0 shutout loss to the San Diego Padres last week.

Now that we have identified how both of these teams are currently playing let’s shift our focus to this evening’s contest. Starting pitcher Chris Sale has been a key contributor to the Atlanta Braves starting rotation this season. Having stated that, how has the veteran pitcher performed from a statistical standpoint? Let’s examine Sale’s relevant game data from the 2025 MLB regular season to answer that question.

In eight starts made this season, Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale has compiled a 4.07 ERA (Earned Run Average) and a 1.36 WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched) in 2025. Additionally, Sale has amassed 56 strikeouts while allowing 11 walks in 42.1 innings pitched this season.

More recently, in the Atlanta Braves 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds five days ago, Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale certainly pitched at a high level. Sale pitched 6.2 quality innings while scattering five hits and two walks in the Braves victory over the Reds.

In my view, Chris Sale is the most likely player to post the most Draftkings points in this MLB regular season contest. With that said, I am backing Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale at the captain position for this one game MLB DFS slate.

Flex plays I like to play well in this MLB regular season contest (Draftkings price noted): Austin Riley, Third Baseman (Atlanta Braves) $9,600: Andrew McCutchen, Outfielder (Pittsburgh Pirates) $7,800: Alex Verdugo, Outfielder (Atlanta Braves) $6,600.

Read the rest of "Draftkings MLB Showdown Picks: Braves vs. Pirates 5/11/25" at Sports Chat Place

Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview

The Pittsburgh Pirates are 13-27 this year, and they have split the first two games in this series by scores of 3-2 and 2-3. In their game two loss, Pittsburgh trailed 2-0 early in the game, but they were able to tie the game in the eighth, before losing in the 11th. The Pirates recorded nine hits and they committed one error in the game, while they were led by Bart and Gorski, who both had one RBI in the loss. Pittsburgh started Heaney, who allowed four hits and two earned runs over 6.0 innings, while Shugart was tagged with the loss in extras. 

Prior to this series, the Pirates were swept in three games by the Cardinals and Padres. Pittsburgh has lost eight of its last nine games, and they are currently last in the NL Central standings. The Pittsburgh pitching staff has a 4.17 ERA with a 1.26 WHIP and a .241 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 123 runs with a .218 batting average and a .299 on-base percentage this season. Oneil Cruz has led Pittsburgh with eight home runs and 18 RBIs, while Bryan Reynolds has added five home runs and 19 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Pittsburgh is Carmen Mlodzinski, who is 1-3 with a 6.16 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP over 30.2 innings pitched this year. 

Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves are 19-20 this season after they won game two by a score of 3-2 on Saturday afternoon. Atlanta led 2-0 in the third inning, but they blew the lead in the eighth, before getting the win in the 11th. The Braves recorded five hits and they committed one error in the game, while they were led by Olson and Harris II, who both had RBIs in the win. Atlanta started Smith-Shawver, who allowed five hits and one earned run over 5.2 innings, while Blewett pitched the final two innings and picked up the win. 

Prior to this series, the Braves won three out of four against the Reds, but did lose two out of three against the Dodgers before that. Atlanta has won five of their last seven games, and they are currently third in the NL East standings. The Atlanta pitching staff has a 3.91 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP and a .230 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 154 runs with a .237 batting average and a .311 on-base percentage this year. Austin Riley has led Atlanta with eight home runs and 25 RBIs, while Sean Murphy has added seven home runs and 14 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Atlanta is Chris Sale, who is 1-3 with a 4.07 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP over 42.0 innings pitched this season. 

Why the Braves will beat the Pirates

• The Pirates have lost each of their last eight games after playing the previous day.
• The Braves have won five of their last six day games against National League opponents that held a losing record.
• The Pirates have failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven day games following a loss.
• The Braves have covered the run line in seven of their last eight Sunday games against the Pirates.
• The Pirates have trailed after 3 innings in each of their last three day games against National League opponents.
• The Pirates have trailed after 5 innings in seven of their last eight day games.

Total Runs Facts

• Ten of the Pirates’ last 11 games as underdogs against NL East opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the Braves’ last five road games have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in eight of the Pirates’ last nine games as underdogs against NL East opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Braves’ last seven Sunday games.

Pittsburgh Pirates Player Prop Facts

• Jack Suwinski has hit a home run in four of his 10 previous home appearances against NL East opponents that held a losing record.
• Isiah Kiner-Falefa has recorded at least one RBI in three of his last four appearances with his team as an underdog against NL East opponents.
• Ke’Bryan Hayes has recorded at least one hit in each of his last seven appearances against the Braves after playing the previous day.
• Adam Frazier has recorded at least one Single in 12 of his last 13 appearances with the Pirates as underdogs against the Braves.
• Oneil Cruz has scored a run in four of his five previous appearances against the Braves after playing the previous day.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Matt Olson has hit at least one home run in four of the Braves’ last six road games against NL Central opponents.
• Marcell Ozuna has recorded at least one Double in three of the Braves’ last four road games against NL Central opponents.
• Michael Harris has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Braves’ last seven road games against opponents that held a losing record.
• Chris Sale has recorded a win in each of his three previous road appearances against NL Central opponents that held a losing record.
• Matt Olson has scored at least one run in eight of the Braves’ last nine road games against NL Central opponents that held a losing record.
• Michael Harris has recorded at least one Single in eight of his last nine appearances in day games against NL Central teams that held a losing record.
• Michael Harris has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 10 appearances in day games against NL Central teams that held a losing record.
• Chris Sale has recorded eight or more strikeouts in four of his last five road appearances against NL opponents that held a losing record.

Pirates vs Braves Prediction 

Pittsburgh continued its losing ways with another loss on Saturday, but its pitching staff has looked solid in three of its last four games. The Pirates are starting Mlodzinski, who has allowed two earned runs in two straight starts but has failed to go five innings in each of those outings. Atlanta is just 7-14 on the road this year, but they have played better over the last two weeks. The Braves are starting Sale, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four straight starts. I don’t trust this Pittsburgh offense at all, so I will take the Braves -1.5 here. 

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Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves are 18-20 on the year and play the Nationals, Red Sox, and Nationals next. The Atlanta Braves are batting .239 on the season, have a .311 OBP, and a .383 slugging percentage. The Atlanta Braves pitching staff has a 3.98 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Austin Riley leads the Atlanta Braves with 46 hits and 25 RBI, while Ozzie Albies and Micheal Harris II have combined for 67 hits and 38 RBI.

AJ Smith-Shawver gets the ball for the Atlanta Braves, and he is 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 27 strikeouts this season. This will be Smith-Shawver’s first career game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview

The Pittsburgh Pirates are 13-26 on the year and play the Mets, Phillies, and Reds next. The Pittsburgh Pirates are batting .218 on the season, have a .298 OBP, and a .328 slugging percentage. The Pittsburgh Pirates pitching staff has a 4.25 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Bryan Reynolds leads the Pittsburgh Pirates with 34 hits and 19 RBI while Ke’Bryan Hayes and Oneil Cruz have combined for 65 hits and 32 RBI.

Andrew Heaney gets the ball for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and he is 3-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 34 strikeouts this season. Heaney is 0-0 with a 5.00 ERA and 10 strikeouts in his career against the Atlanta Braves.

Why the Pittsburgh Pirates will win

• The Pirates have won four of their last five games as home underdogs against the Braves.
• The Braves have lost eight of their last nine road games against National League opponents following a road loss.
• The underdogs have covered the run line in eight of the Braves’ last nine games.
• The Braves have failed to cover the run line in each of their last four games as favorites against NL Central opponents.
• The Braves have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last six road day games.
• The Braves have lost the first inning in four of their last five day games against NL Central opponents.
• The Braves have trailed after 3 innings in each of their last six road day games.

Why the Atlanta Braves will win

• The Pirates have lost each of their last seven games after playing the previous day.
• The Braves have won seven of their last eight games against NL Central opponents following a road loss.
• The Pirates have failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven day games against National League opponents.
• The Braves have covered the run line in seven of their last eight games following a road loss.
• The Pirates have trailed after 5 innings in six of their last seven day games.

Pittsburgh Pirates Player Prop Facts

• Jared Triolo has hit a home run in two of his last three appearances at PNC Park against NL opponents that held a losing record.
• Ke’Bryan Hayes has recorded three RBIs in three of his last four home appearances against the Braves.
• Joey Bart has scored at least one run in each of his last seven Saturday day appearances against teams that held a losing record.
• Andrew Heaney has recorded six or more strikeouts in six of his last eight appearances with his team as a home underdog against NL opponents.
• Bryan Reynolds has recorded at least one Single in each of the Pirates’ last seven home games against the Braves.
• Ke’Bryan Hayes has recorded two or more hits in each of his six previous home appearances against the Braves after playing the previous day.
• Oneil Cruz ranks T1st in the league in Steals (15) this season.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Michael Harris has hit at least one home run in three of the Braves’ last four road games against NL Central opponents.
• Michael Harris has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Braves’ last six road games against opponents that held a losing record.
• Matt Olson has scored at least one run in seven of the Braves’ last eight road games against NL Central opponents that held a losing record.
• Michael Harris has recorded at least one Single in each of his last eight appearances in day games against NL Central teams that held a losing record.
• Michael Harris has recorded at least one hit in each of his last nine appearances in day games against NL Central teams that held a losing record.
• Marcell Ozuna ranks 3rd amongst qualified players for On Base Percentage (.425) this season.

Pirates vs Braves Prediction

The Braves keep going in their hole offensively at times these last couple of weeks, but this is a game they should win. Smith-Shawver has been solid, allowing nine runs in 27 innings and averaging a strikeout per inning. The Pirates are a mess, from the front office to the product on the field, and they don’t win enough to be worth a look in the underdog role most nights. The Pirates have won two straight games just three times this season. Heaney is having a great season with a top-40 ERA and WHIP, but it doesn’t matter much when the Pirates have been shutout in each of his last two starts. Give me the Braves and the reasonable price.

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Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview

The Pittsburgh Pirates are 12-26 this season after they lost all three against the Cardinals by scores of 3-6, 1-2, and 0-5. In their game three loss, Pittsburgh allowed two runs in the third inning, which was enough in the shutout loss. The Pirates recorded just four hits in the game, and they were led by Pham, Hayes, McCutchen, and Cruz, who all had one hit in the game. Pittsburgh started Keller, who allowed seven hits and three earned runs over 6.0 innings in the loss, while Ferguson allowed two hits and two earned runs in 0.2 innings of relief. 

Prior to that series, the Pirates lost all three against the Padres and two out of three against the Cubs. Pittsburgh has lost seven games in a row, and they are currently last in the NL Central standings. The Pittsburgh pitching staff has a 4.31 ERA with a 1.28 WHIP and a .245 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 118 runs with a .219 batting average and a .300 on-base percentage this season. Oneil Cruz has led Pittsburgh with eight home runs and 18 RBIs, while Bryan Reynolds has added five home runs and 19 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Pittsburgh is Bailey Falter, who is 1-3 with a 5.06 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP over 37.1 innings pitched this season. 

Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves are 18-19 this year after they won three out of four against the Reds by scores of 4-0, 2-1, 3-4, and 5-4. In their game four win, Atlanta trailed 4-2 in the ninth, but they scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth and got the win in the 11th. The Braves recorded 10 hits in the game, and they were led by Harris II, who went 3-5 with two RBIs in the win. Atlanta started Schwellenbach, who allowed five hits and one earned run over 6.0 innings, while Iglesias allowed two earned runs in the ninth, and Blewett got the win in extras. 

Prior to that series, the Braves lost two out of three against the Dodgers, but did win two out of three against the Rockies before that. Atlanta has won four of their last five games, and they are currently third in the NL East standings. The Atlanta pitching staff has a 4.00 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP and a .231 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 149 runs with a .240 batting average and a .312 on-base percentage this year. Austin Riley has led Atlanta with eight home runs and 25 RBIs, while Sean Murphy has added seven home runs and 14 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Atlanta is Bryce Elder, who is 2-1 with a 5.06 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP over 32.0 innings pitched this year. 

Why the Braves will beat the Pirates

• The Pirates have lost each of their last seven games.
• The Braves have won four of their last five games.
• The Pirates have failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven games.
• The Braves have covered the run line in four of their last five road games against NL Central opponents.
• The Pirates have trailed after 3 innings in each of their last six Friday games against opponents that held a losing record.
• The Pirates have trailed after 5 innings in eight of their last nine home games.

Total Runs Facts

• Eight of the Pirates’ last nine games as underdogs against NL East opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Eight of the Braves’ last 10 games have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in eight of the Pirates’ last nine home games against NL East opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in nine of the Braves’ last 11 road games against NL Central opponents.

Pittsburgh Pirates Player Prop Facts

• Adam Frazier has recorded at least one Single in each of his last 11 appearances with the Pirates as underdogs against the Braves.
• Ke’Bryan Hayes has recorded three RBIs in each of his last three home appearances against the Braves.
• Oneil Cruz has hit a home run in each of the Pirates’ last two games against NL East opponents.
• Ke’Bryan Hayes has recorded a Double in each of his last three appearances against the Braves after not playing the previous day.
• Adam Frazier has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 11 appearances with the Pirates as underdogs against the Braves.
• Oneil Cruz has scored at least one run in 11 of the Pirates’ last 12 night games.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Michael Harris has hit at least one home run in each of the Braves’ last three road games against NL Central opponents.
• Michael Harris has recorded at least one hit in each of the Braves’ last 15 road games against NL Central opponents that held a losing record.
• Matt Olson has scored at least one run in each of the Braves’ last seven road games against NL Central opponents that held a losing record.
• Michael Harris has recorded at least one Single in each of the Braves’ last eight games at PNC Park against NL opponents that held a losing record.
• Ronald Acuna Jr. has recorded at least one RBI in seven of his last eight appearances in night games against NL Central teams that held a losing record.

Pirates vs Braves Prediction 

Atlanta was able to get a nice comeback win on Thursday night to stay hot in recent games, but they are just 6-13 on the road this season. The Braves have had some solid pitching in their last five games, but Elder has an elevated ERA and WHIP on the year. Pittsburgh has been one of the worst teams in the MLB to start the season and they just fired their manager. The Pirates are 7-12 at home, and they are starting Falter, who has allowed 3+ earned runs in three of his last five starts. I don’t believe in this Pittsburgh offense at all, so give me the Braves here. 

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Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves are 17-19 this year, and they have won two of the first three games in this series by scores of 4-0, 2-1, and 3-4. In their game three loss, the Braves allowed the first four runs in the game and came up just short in their comeback attempt for the loss. Atlanta recorded six hits in the game, and they were led by Olson, Albies, and Baldwin, who all had one RBI in the loss. Atlanta started Holmes, who allowed seven hits and four earned runs over 5.1 innings in the loss, while Bummer, Lee, and De Los Santos combined for 3.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. 

Prior to this series, the Braves lost two out of three against the Dodgers, but did win two out of three against the Rockies before that. Atlanta has won three of their last four games, and they are currently third in the NL East standings. The Atlanta pitching staff has a 4.02 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP and a .231 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 144 runs with a .240 batting average and a .313 on-base percentage this year. Austin Riley has led Atlanta with eight home runs and 25 RBIs, while Sean Murphy has added seven home runs and 14 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Atlanta is Spencer Schwellenbach, who is 1-3 with a 3.92 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP over 41.1 innings pitched this year. 

Cincinnati Reds Betting Preview

The Cincinnati Reds are 19-19 this season after they won game three in this series by a score of 4-3 on Wednesday. Cincinnati scored four runs in the first four innings, but they didn’t score over the final five innings and barely got the win. The Reds recorded seven hits in the game, and they were led by Friedl, who went 2-3 with two home runs and two RBIs in the win. Cincinnati started Greene, who allowed two hits and zero earned runs over 3.0 innings, while Suter allowed one hit and one earned run over 2.0 innings for the win. 

Prior to this series, the Reds lost two out of three against the Nationals and split four games with the Cardinals. Cincinnati has lost four of its last five games, and they are currently tied for second in the NL Central standings. The Cincinnati pitching staff has a 3.59 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP and a .212 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 181 runs with a .242 batting average and a .322 on-base percentage this season. Elly De La Cruz has led Cincinnati with five home runs and 25 RBIs, while Austin Hays has added five home runs and 13 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Cincinnati is Nick Lodolo, who is 3-3 with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP over 41.1 innings pitched this season. 

Why the Braves will beat the Reds

• The Braves have won five of their last six games against National League opponents following a home loss.
• The Reds have lost four of their last five games.
• The Braves have covered the run line in nine of their last 10 night games following a loss.
• The Reds have failed to cover the run line in five of their last six games as underdogs following a road win.

Why the Reds will beat the Braves

• The Braves have lost seven of their last eight games as favorites against NL Central opponents following a home loss.
• The Reds have won four of their last six games as road underdogs against the Braves.
• The Reds have covered the run line in each of their last 10 night games against the Braves following a road win.
• The Braves have failed to cover the run line in each of their last eight games as favorites against the Reds following a home loss.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Reds’ last seven road games after playing the previous day have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Eight of the Braves’ last nine games have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in 16 of the Reds’ last 18 games as road underdogs against National League opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Braves’ last six Thursday games at Truist Park.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Austin Riley has hit a home run in three of his last four Thursday appearances with the Braves as favorites.
• Austin Riley has recorded at least one Single in each of the Braves’ last nine games as home favorites.
• Austin Riley has scored at least one run in eight of his last 10 appearances against the Reds after playing the previous day.
• Austin Riley has recorded at least one hit in each of the Braves’ last 12 home games against NL opponents.
• Ronald Acuna Jr. has recorded at least one RBI in eight of his last nine home appearances against NL Central opponents.

Cincinnati Reds Player Prop Facts

• Gavin Lux has recorded at least one RBI in four of his last five appearances with the Reds as road underdogs.
• Nick Lodolo has recorded five or more strikeouts in each of his four previous appearances with the Reds as underdogs against NL East opponents.
• TJ Friedl has recorded at least one hit in each of his last nine road appearances after playing the previous day.
• Will Benson has hit a home run in two of his last three appearances in night games against teams that held a losing record.
• Austin Hays has recorded at least one Single in each of his last seven appearances with his team as an underdog.
• Will Benson has scored a run in each of his last four appearances in night games against teams that held a losing record.

Braves vs Reds Prediction 

Atlanta had their small winning streak snapped with the loss on Wednesday, but they will be at home, where they are 11-6 so far this year. The Reds have scored one run or fewer in three of their last four games, but they will face Schwellenbach, who has allowed six earned runs in two of his last four starts. The Braves haven’t been great at the plate in recent games either, and they will go against Lodolo, who has allowed 3+ earned runs in three of their last four games. Take the over here. 

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Cincinnati Reds Betting Preview

The Cincinnati Reds (18-19, 9-9 Away) are looking to avoid their fifth consecutive defeat for the first time this season. The Reds lost the opening two games of this series in Atlanta, and before that, they lost the series to the Nationals and split with the Cardinals. In Game 2 against the Braves last night, the Reds fell short 2-1 in extra innings. Andrew Abbott pitched for 5.0 innings in a no-decision, allowing no runs on four hits with eight strikeouts and no walks. Lyon Richardson took the loss.

This year, the Reds average 4.78 runs per game (9th in the MLB) on a .242/.323/.381 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Reds’ staff has a 3.60 ERA (9th) and 1.13 WHIP (1st). Elly De La Cruz leads the Reds with a .266 batting average, five home runs, and 25 RBI this season.

Hunter Greene will take the mound for the Reds on Wednesday. The 25-year-old right-hander has a 4-2 record in seven starts this year with a 2.53 ERA and 0.82 WHIP in 42.2 innings.

Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves (17-18, 11-5 Home) responded to a three-game losing skid with three straight wins. After salvaging a series against the Dodgers, the Braves won the first two games of the series against the Reds. Michael Harris II hit a game-tying double in last night’s 2-1 victory to force extra innings, while Marcell Ozuna hit a game-winning single in the 10th. Chris Sale pitched for 6.2 innings in a no-decision, allowing no runs on five hits with ten strikeouts and two walks. Raisel Iglesias was credited with the win.

This season, the Braves average 4.03 runs per game (18th in the MLB) on a .241/.316/.391 slash line. Regarding pitching, the Braves’ staff has a 4.03 ERA (16th) and 1.25 WHIP (12th). Austin Riley leads the Braves with a .290 batting average, eight home runs, and 25 RBI this season.

The projected starting pitcher for the Braves is Grant Holmes, who is 2-2 in six starts this season, with a 4.24 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 34.0 innings.

Why the Reds will beat the Braves

• The Braves have lost each of their last six games as underdogs following a home win.
• The Reds have covered the run line in each of their last seven road games against the Braves following a road loss.
• The Braves have failed to cover the run line in nine of their last 10 games against NL Central opponents following a home win.

Total Runs Facts

• Seven of the Reds’ last eight road games against NL East opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Seven of the Braves’ last eight games against National League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Reds’ last six games as favorites against National League opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the last four games between the Reds and Braves.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Braves rank T9th in the league for runs allowed this season (142).
• The Braves rank T21st in the league for steals this season (22).
• The Reds rank 27th in the league for strikeouts against this season (322).
• The Reds rank 5th in the league for hits allowed this season (257).

Braves vs Reds Prediction

The Braves won six of the previous ten H2H encounters, including the last four. I am leaning toward the Reds in this one because of the pitching matchup. Hunter Greene is better than Grant Holmes, and he allowed a .224 BA in 49 at-bats against the Braves. Holmes, on the other hand, allowed a .333 BA in 21 at-bats against the Reds. Back in Cincinnati here.

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Starting Pitching Matchup

The Cincinnati Reds will send out Andrew Abbott for the start here, and Abbott is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA and 23 strikeouts this season. This will be Abbott’s first career start against the Braves. Chris Sale will get the nod for the Braves in this one and is 1-3 with a 4.84 ERA and 46 strikeouts this season. In his career, Sale is 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA and 12 strikeouts against the Reds.

Cincinnati Reds Recap

The Cincinnati Reds come into this game looking to bounce back from a series-opening 4-0 loss at the hands of the Braves on Monday to fall to 18-18 on the year. After this series, the Reds will head on the road for a series against the Houston Astros.

Reds Drop Three In A Row

Elly De La Cruz has a team-high 36 hits with 5 home runs, 25 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases, while TJ Friedl has 36 hits with 6 doubles and 13 RBIs with 7 stolen bases. Gavin Lux has added 33 hits with a team-high 8 doubles and 15 RBIs, while Spencer Steer has 3 home runs and 11 RBIs, and Matt McLain has added 4 homers, 12 RBIs, and 6 stolen bases as well on the year.

Why the Cincinnati Reds will win

• The Reds have won each of their last six Tuesday games as underdogs against National League opponents.
• The Braves have lost eight of their last 11 games as home favorites against NL Central opponents.
• The Reds have covered the run line in each of their last six games at Truist Park following a road loss.
• The Braves have failed to cover the run line in 10 of their last 11 night games against NL Central opponents following a win.

Cincinnati Reds Player Prop Facts

• TJ Friedl has recorded a Double in three of his last four road appearances after playing the previous day.
• Spencer Steer has recorded at least one RBI in each of his last six Tuesday appearances against teams that held a losing record.
• Santiago Espinal has recorded at least one hit in each of his last eight appearances against NL East opponents that held a losing record.
• Will Benson has hit a home run in two of his last three appearances in night games against teams that held a losing record.
• Austin Hays has recorded at least one Single in each of his last seven appearances with his team as an underdog.
• Will Benson has scored a run in each of his last four appearances in night games against teams that held a losing record.
• Elly De La Cruz ranks 3rd in the league in Steals (13) this season.

Atlanta Braves Recap

The Atlanta Braves come into this game looking to inch closer to .500 after picking up the win over the Reds on Monday to improve to 16-18 on the year. After this series, the Braves will head on the road for a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Braves Pick Up Back-To-Back Wins

Austin Riley leads the Braves with 41 hits, including 8 home runs, 25 RBIs, and a team-high 6 doubles, but also has the dubious distinction of leading Atlanta with 45 strikeouts so far this season. Ozzie Albies has 33 hits with 5 home runs and 14 RBIs in addition to 5 stolen bases, and Matt Olson has 27 hits with 5 doubles, 6 home runs, and 18 RBIs of his own. Marcell Ozuna also has 29 hits with 5 home runs and 12 RBIs. Michael Harris II also has 28 hits with 6 doubles, 3 home runs, and 19 RBIs and 7 stolen bases as well, and Nick Allen has 5 stolen bases as well this season.

Why the Atlanta Braves will win

• The Braves have won five of their last six night games after playing the previous day.
• The Reds have lost five of their last six night games against NL East opponents.
• The Braves have covered the run line in seven of their last eight night games against National League opponents.
• The Reds have failed to cover the run line in each of their last four games as underdogs against NL East opponents.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Matt Olson has hit at least one home run in three of the Braves’ last four games against the Reds.
• Austin Riley has recorded at least one Single in each of the Braves’ last seven games as home favorites.
• Matt Olson has scored at least one run in each of the Braves’ last seven games against NL Central opponents.
• Chris Sale has recorded seven or more strikeouts in six of his last seven home appearances against NL Central opponents.
• Austin Riley has recorded at least one hit in each of the Braves’ last 10 home games against NL opponents.
• Ronald Acuna Jr. has recorded at least one RBI in eight of his last nine home appearances against NL Central opponents.
• Marcell Ozuna ranks 3rd amongst qualified players for On Base Percentage (.441) this season.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Reds’ last five road games after playing the previous day have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Six of the Braves’ last seven games have gone UNDER the total runs line.

Braves vs Reds Prediction

I’m on the Reds and the plus money here. I get that Atlanta looked good on Monday, and AJ Smith-Shawver of all people carried a no-hitter deep into that game. That being said, while Chris Sale is the better pitcher here, he’s also got the name brand attached to him and the premium that goes along with that. The Reds have some solid numbers as of late against lefties, and I think the Reds could do enough to get to Sale and get the win here. Give me the Reds.

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Cincinnati Reds Betting Preview

The Cincinnati Reds are 18-17 on the year and play the Astros, White Sox, and Guardians next. The Cincinnati Reds are batting .249 on the season, have a .328 OBP, and a .394 slugging percentage. The Cincinnati Reds pitching staff has a 3.65 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. TJ Friedl leads the Cincinnati Reds with 36 hits and 13 RBI, while Elly De La Cruz and Gavin Lux have combined for 69 hits and 40 RBI.

Brady Singer gets the ball for the Cincinnati Reds, and he is 4-1 with a 3.24 ERA and 36 strikeouts this season. Singer is 0-2 with an 8.18 ERA and 13 strikeouts in his career against the Atlanta Braves.

Atlanta Braves Betting Preview

The Atlanta Braves are 15-18 on the year and play the Pirates, Nationals, and Red Sox next. The Atlanta Braves are batting .242 on the season, have a .316 OBP, and a .395 slugging percentage. The Atlanta Braves pitching staff has a 4.26 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Austin Riley leads the Atlanta Braves with 40 hits and 24 RBI, while Ozzie Albies and Marcell Ozuna have combined for 61 hits and 26 RBI.

AJ Smith-Shawver gets the ball for the Atlanta Braves, and he is 1-2 with a 4.26 ERA and 22 strikeouts this season. This will be Smith-Shawver’s second career game against the Cincinnati Reds.

Why the Atlanta Braves will win

• The Braves have won four of their last five games against NL Central opponents.
• The Reds have lost four of their last five night games against National League opponents following a home loss.
• The Braves have covered the run line in five of their last six night games against National League opponents that held a winning record.
• The Reds have failed to cover the run line in each of their last three games as underdogs against NL East opponents.

Why the Cincinnati Reds will win

• The Reds have won each of their last four games as road underdogs following a loss.
• The Braves have lost nine of their last 10 night games against NL Central opponents following a win.
• The underdogs have covered the run line in each of the Reds’ last 11 games at Truist Park.
• The Braves have failed to cover the run line in each of their last eight games against NL Central opponents following a home win.
• The Reds have led after 3 innings in four of their last five games as road underdogs.
• The Reds have led after 5 innings in each of their last three games against the Braves at Truist Park.

Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts

• Michael Harris has hit at least one home run in each of the Braves’ last three games as favorites against the Reds.
• Ozzie Albies has scored at least one run in each of his last six appearances against the Reds.
• Austin Riley has recorded at least one Single in each of the Braves’ last six games as home favorites.
• Austin Riley has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 10 home appearances against opponents that held a winning record.
• Ronald Acuna Jr. has recorded at least one RBI in eight of his last nine appearances against NL Central opponents at Truist Park.

Cincinnati Reds Player Prop Facts

• Brady Singer has recorded a win in four of his last five road appearances against opponents that held a losing record.
• Gavin Lux has recorded at least one RBI in five of his last six road appearances after playing the previous day.
• Tyler Stephenson has scored at least one run in eight of his last nine appearances in night games against teams that held a losing record.
• Brady Singer has recorded five or more strikeouts in seven of his last eight road appearances.
• Tyler Stephenson has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 10 road appearances against opponents that held a losing record.
• Jose Trevino has hit a home run in two of his last three appearances after playing the previous day.
• Austin Hays has recorded at least one Single in each of his last seven appearances with his team as an underdog.
• Brady Singer ranks T6th in the league for Wins (4) this season.

Braves vs Reds Prediction

You can make a case for the Reds, as they’re arguably the better team and have the pitching edge. Singer has been better than Smith-Shawver this season. With that said, the Reds are coming off a rough week where the pitching staff got rocked, and they’ve lost four of their last six games. If the Reds don’t get their act together, the Braves have the lineup to add to those hiccups.

The Braves continue to show flashes here and there, and we know what they’re capable of when they have things figured out. I don’t love the price, but I’ll lean toward the Braves at home. The Reds have underachieved for the most part, and it’s hard to figure things out on the road.

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Before we dive into the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves game let’s review the rules for the Draftkings MLB single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for tonight’s Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves matchup.

Draftkings MLB Showdown Picks

Captain-Dustin May, Starting Pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers $11,600

On Sunday night, Major League Baseball presents the final game of a three-game National League series featuring the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves.

How are these two teams playing entering tonight’s MLB game? The Los Angeles Dodgers arrive at the first game of this three-game series with the Colorado Rockies playing good baseball. The Dodgers have won seven of the team’s last eight games played in the 2025 MLB regular season, including a dominant 15-2 win over the Miami Marlins earlier this week.

In direct contrast to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Atlanta Braves are not playing well entering this evening’s game. More specifically, the Braves have lost three of the team’s last four games played in the 2025 MLB regular season, including a 2-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies six days ago.

Now that we have determined how both of these teams are currently playing let’s turn our attention to this evening’s contest. Starting pitcher Dustin May has been a key contributor to the Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation this season. Having stated that, how has the veteran pitcher performed from a statistical perspective? Let’s review May’s relevant game data from the 2025 MLB regular season to answer that question.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Dustin May has compiled a 3.95 ERA (Earned Run Average) and a 1.24 WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched) in 2025. Additionally, May has amassed 22 strikeouts while allowing 12 walks in 27.1 innings pitched this season.

More recently, in the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 win over the Colorado Rockies last month, Los Angeles starting pitcher Dustin May certainly pitched at a high level. May pitched six quality innings while scattering three hits and no walks in the Dodgers victory over the Rockies.

In my view, Dustin May is the most likely player to post the most Draftkings points in tonight’s MLB game. With that said, I am backing Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Dustin May at the captain position for this one game MLB DFS slate.

Flex plays I like to play well in this MLB regular season contest (Draftkings price noted): Bryce Elder, Starting Pitcher (Atlanta Braves) $10,800: Shohei Ohtani, First Baseman (Los Angeles Dodgers) $10,000: Freddie Freeman, First Baseman (Los Angeles Dodgers) $9,400.

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