Mariners vs. Braves Pick
Do the host Atlanta Braves have the right formula to defeat the Seattle Mariners at 7:35PM EST Monday night?
According to oddsmakers at sports book Bovada.lv, the Mariners are a slim -114 favorte on the moneyline to win. The Braves are a -106 underdog, while the over-under is set at 9.5.
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Seattle will turn to Andrew Albers (1-0, 1.80 ERA) for the start, while the Braves will go with Mike Foltynewicz (10-8, 4.75). Albers made his first start of the season August 15, allowing one earned run on six hits with four strikeouts and a walk over five innings in a 3-1 home win versus Baltimore. In his career, Albers is 3-5 in 18 appearances (13 starts) with an ERA of 4.25 and a WHIP of 1.35 over 84 2/3 innings. He has improved his strikeout rate in limited appearances the last two years, fanning 20 in 22 innings. In his longest stint in MLB with the Twins in 2013, he struck out only 25 batters in 60 innings. Foltynewicz is coming off two brutal starts in a row on the road, most recently allowing eight earned runs in 3 1/3 innings as the Braves lost 17-2 at Colorado. In his home start August 5 versus the Marlins, he allowed one earned run on four hits with 11 strikeouts in a 7-1 win. He has a 1.50 WHIP and has been much better at home with a 3.48 ERA.
Seattle comes in with a 63-62 record and is 29-30 on the road, while Atlanta is 55-67 and 27-32 at home. The Mariners won the first two games in Tampa Bay before dropping a 3-0 game Sunday to snap a four-game win streak. The Braves lost two of three at home versus the Reds, winning Sunday’s game 8-1. Seattle and Atlanta have not met since 2014 when the Mariners won all four games, two in each city.
The Mariners were shut down by Blake Snell Sunday, while Yovani Gallardo allowed three earned runs over 6 1/3 innings to take the loss. Yonder Alonso, Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz had the lone hits for Seattle. The Braves received a grand slam from Tyler Flowers during a six-run fifth inning Sunday. Brandon Phillips and Freddie Freeman each had three hits. Sean Newcomb threw five shutout innings to get the win.
Foltynewicz looks like a different pitcher whenever he is at home, plus a bad start at Colorado barely counts. He has routinely mowed down an opponent at the precise moment you count him out. Albers is a hittable pitcher who is stepping into a hitter’s ballpark. Side with the hosts here.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: ATLANTA BRAVES -106