Published May 23, 9:26pm ET by
Paul Lebowitz - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated May 23, 9:26pm ET
Shutterstock
Updated May 23, 9:27pm ET
|
|
|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | -160 |
| Washington Nationals | +145 |
The Nationals have been something of a surprise this season, hovering around .500 in another rebuilding year.
In the rubber game of their series against the Braves, they start lefty Foster Griffin.
Griffin has gotten knocked around in his last two starts. In 9.1 innings, he's allowed 14 earned runs. Overall, he's had a decent year. He has a 0.8 bWAR and a 4.02 ERA. In 10 starts and 56 innings, he's allowed 48 hits and 25 earned runs, walking 18 and striking out 54.
James Wood has an OPS of .913 and 13 homers. CJ Abrams has a .929 OPS and 11 homers. Daylen Lile has 7 homers and a .763 OPS.
Against Braves starter Martin Perez, Abrams is 2 for 5 with a home run. Wood is 1 for 2 with a homer. Lile is 1 for 1 with a double.
Martin Perez has long been a quality journeyman. With the Braves this season, he's been used as a starter and reliever. His most recent appearance was a start against the Marlins. He got knocked around for 4 earned runs in 5 innings, walking 2 and striking out 10.
Overall, he has a 1.0 bWAR in 10 appearances (6 starts), tossing 41 innings, allowing 28 hits and 13 earned runs, walking 13 and striking out 38.
At the plate for Atlanta, Matt Olson has an .889 OPS and 14 homers. Michael Harris has an .827 OPS with 11 homers. Austin Riley is struggling with a .217 batting average, but he has 8 homers. Dominic Smith has been a pleasant surprise with a .327 average and 5 homers.
For Atlanta against Griffin, Eli White is 1 for 2 with a home run. Mauricio Dubon is 2 for 3 with a double. Harris is 1 for 2 with a double. OIson is 0 for 3 with a strikeout. Riley is 0 for 2 with a walk. Ronald Acuña Jr. is 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
While the Nationals have been a great story in MLB as they've played far better than expected, the Braves are arguably the best team in baseball.
For this matchup, Griffin badly needs a rebound after consecutive terrible starts. Perez has been generally solid all season. The Nats' lefty will not be able to hold down Atlanta's offense as the Braves take the rubber game of the series by at least 2 runs.
|
Pick
Atlanta Braves -1.5 (+130)
|
New Player Bonus
50% up to $1000
|
