Braves vs. Nationals Prediction
The Washington Nationals will go for the series sweep of the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday afternoon in D.C. but won’t have the services of their top two pitchers on the hill. Can the Nats still break out the brooms against their National League East Division rivals?
Game Snapshot with Current Odds
951 Atlanta Braves (+105) at 952 Washington Nationals (-125); 8.5 runs
Wednesday, April 11, 2018, 1:05 p.m. ET, Nationals Park
TV: FSSO (ATL); MASN (WSH)
Public Betting Trends
As of this writing, the Braves are receiving 66% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks to beat the Nationals Wednesday on the money line. Meanwhile, 81% of the betting tickets wagered at on the total are on the over.
Atlanta Braves’ Brandon McCarthy coming off quality start
The Braves will send McCarthy to the mound tonight after he posted a quality start last Friday in a victory against the Rockies at Coors Field. He allowed three runs on five hits over six innings of work. He walked one and struck out four on the afternoon. McCarthy came over in the Matt Kemp trade and has provided a veteran presence and an innings-eater for the Braves.
On Tuesday night, Ozzie Albies doubled twice in the team’s loss to the Nationals. He was one of the few Braves players to get a piece of Stephen Strasburg, who otherwise shut down Atlanta’s lineup. Albies does have three home runs, a triple and five doubles in 11 games this season. He just turned 21 in January and is already putting on a show.
Nationals’ Cole looking for better effort versus the Braves
A.J. Cole was absolutely hammered last Tuesday in a loss to these same Braves, surrendering 10 earned runs on 10 hits in his 3 2/3 innings of work. The right-hander also issued three walks while strikeout out four on the night. Atlanta used a three-run home run by Preston Tucker to get to Cole in the first inning, then added another four runs in the second inning with a three-run bomb by Freddie Freeman. Cole might not be long for Washington’s starting rotation.
The Nationals are also expected to call up outfielder Moises Sierra from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday. The move is due to Adam Eaton (ankle) being placed on the disabled list. Sierra, 29, signed a minor-league deal with the Nationals over the winter. This will be his first sting in the majors since 2014.
Betting Trends:
Atlanta
The Braves are 19-41 in their last 60 games versus the Nationals and are 8-28 in their last 36 games in Washington.
Washington
The Nationals are 3-8 in Cole’s last 11 starts versus National League East opponents.
Today’s Prediction
The Braves haven’t looked good the past two days but not many teams would fare well versus Scherzer and Strasburg. This is Cole, who has been highly unprofitable for Washington backers. The Nationals are 0-8 in Cole’s last eight home starts, are 2-6 in his last eight outings and have dropped four of his last five starts coming off a loss in their previous game. This is a good spot to take the Braves getting plus odds.
Pick: Atlanta Braves +105