Published Mar 4, 8:19pm ET by
Paul Lebowitz - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 4, 8:19pm ET
Grok AI
Updated Mar 4, 8:19pm ET
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| Atlanta Braves | -165 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +145 |
Dylan Cease signed a 7-year, $175 million contract with the Blue Jays this past offseason. After a rough season for the Padres in 2025 going 8-12 with a 4.55 ERA, Cease hopes to regain the form he showed in 2022 with the White Sox, when he was 2nd in the AL Cy Young Award voting, and the 2024 form in San Diego, when he finished 4th in the NL voting.
He's made 1 start this spring, tossing only 1.2 innings and giving up 1 run (on a home run), walking 1, and striking out 3.
Vladimir Guerrero, Alejandro Kirk, Andres Gimenez, and others are away playing for their respective countries in the World Baseball Classic.
Veteran Eloy Jimenez is a past winner of the Silver Slugger who has fallen on hard times in recent years. He's off to a hot spring start, batting .412 in 18 plate appearances with 3 doubles and a homer.
Daulton Varsho is batting .429 with 2 doubles and a home run.
Chris Sale is coming off an injury-shortened 2025 after he won the NL Cy Young Award in 2024. Fortunately for him and the Braves, it was an impact injury when he fractured a rib diving for a ball. It had nothing to do with his elbow or shoulder.
Before he got hurt, he was having another fine season with a 4.0 bWAR and 165 K's in 125.2 innings. That came on the heels of his CYA rebound in Atlanta after four largely lost seasons with the Red Sox.
He's made 2 appearances this spring, tossing 4.2 innings, surrendering 5 hits, 3 runs, and 2 homers. As experienced as Sale is, he knows how to prepare for the regular season and when to ramp it up.
Atlanta was recently hit with the stunning news that outfielder Jurickson Profar will miss the entire 2026 season due to his second PED suspension. He plans to appeal.
Mike Yastrzemski is off to a sizzling spring start with 6 hits in 13 plate appearances, 3 homers, and a 2.292 OPS.
Matt Olson and Austin Riley each have 2 homers so far. Ronald Acuña Jr. is playing for Venezuela in the WBC.
Neither of the veteran starting pitchers have been particularly good so far this spring, but that is simply due to them getting their timing down and their bodies in shape for the coming season. Do not expect either to be in the game for very long.
Toronto has questions to answer as it tries to account for the absence of Anthony Santander, who might miss the entire season after shoulder surgery. Atlanta is dealing with the emotional and practical impact of losing Profar to another failed PED test.
The Braves have been hitting very well and they should take this one over Cease and the Jays.
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Atlanta Braves -165
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