In professional sports, and particularly in those that have longer seasons than most, the cream always seems to find a way to rise to the top. Sometimes, it is the latter stages of the season when a team steps up a gear and starts to pull away from the pack, but there are also instances where a team gets out in front from the start and never looks back on their path to the finish line. In the MLB this season, it is more than fair to suggest that the LA Dodgers are the team that fit that latter category. They ended the first half of the season with the best record in baseball and what looks to be an unassailable lead in the NL West.
The question being asked is whether any team can stand in their quest for a third-straight trip to the World Series. The Atlanta Braves are one team who certainly feel that they have what it takes to mount a strong challenge. After putting together a very good first half, the Braves will start the second half with a tough weekend road trip to San Diego to face the Padres.
Braves vs Padres MLB Odds & Expert Analysis
- When: Friday, July 12 at 10:10 PM EST
- Where: Petco Park, San Diego
- Starting Pitchers: Keuchel vs. Lamet
- TV: MLB Extra Innings
- Radio: 97.3 The Fan
- Live Stream: MLB.tv
- MLB Odds: Atlanta Braves -115 (Total 9)
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Why bet on the Atlanta Braves?
The Atlanta Braves came out of nowhere to win the NL East last season, seeing all of their young prospects come good at the same time. They had a bit of a tough go of it in the early part of this season, but Atlanta is now back on track, with their offense firing on all cylinders, although you can probably expect them to go looking for some more pitching help before all is said and done.Atlanta closed out the first half with a record of 54-37, which is good enough for second best in the NL while seeing them sitting atop the East with a 6-game lead. The Braves have been outstanding away from home, going 26-18 SU, although just 21-23 ATS. Dallas Keuchel (2-2, 3.60 ERA), who the Braves picked up in June, is settling into his new home quite nicely and improving with each start.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 5.40
- Hits: 9.10
- Walks: 3.59
- Strike Outs: 8.67
Defense
- Runs: 4.75
- Hits: 8.69
- Walks: 3.62
- Strike Outs: 8.57
Why bet on the San Diego Padres?
While a .500 record is not particularly great at the midway point of the season, it is very often enough to keep a team in the playoff picture, at least for now. That is where the Padres find themselves at the moment, with their 45-45 record seeing them sitting a good way off the pace being set by the LA Dodgers at the top of the NL West.
They showed some signs of life before the break, winning 3 in a row against the Dodgers to take a 3-1 win in the 4-game series. It’s a very positive sign for the Padres, as is their 16-3 record versus Atlanta when the Braves come to town. They will have Dinelson Lamet (0-1, 5.40 ERA) on the mound for this one.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 4.47
- Hits: 8.09
- Walks: 2.81
- Strike Outs: 9.69
Defense
- Runs: 4.86
- Hits: 8.70
- Walks: 2.54
- Strike Outs: 8.73
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Braves vs Padres MLB Betting Trends
- Braves are 9-4 SU in their last 13 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta’s last 6 games against an opponent in the National League
- Padres are 16-3 SU in their last 19 games when playing at home against Atlanta
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Diego’s last 5 games at home
- Braves are 81-62 against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons
- Padres are 53-73 against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons
- Keuchel is 1-0 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 0.786
- Lamet is 1-0 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.714
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Braves vs Padres
5 of the last 6 meetings between these two teams have gone the way of the UNDER, so we should perhaps not be holding out for a lot of offense in this one. I am taking the Atlanta Braves to win a close one.Score: Atlanta Braves 4 – San Diego Padres 3
