Braves vs. Mets 9/18 Prediction
National League East rivals meet at Citi Field on Friday night when the Mets host the Braves at 7:10 p.m. ET. With the Braves listed as a large favorite and the total sitting at 8.5 runs, what’s the optimal play for bettors when it comes to this matchup?
Game Snapshot
959 Atlanta Braves (-161) at 960 New York Mets (+140); o/u 8.5
7:10 p.m. ET, Friday, September 18, 2020
Max Fried vs. Steven Matz
Atlanta Braves DFS Spin
Braves activated LHP Max Fried off the 10-day injured list. Fried was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left-side muscle spasm in his lumbar spine, and he’s feeling well enough to make his return for the Braves shortly after his IL stint. The 26-year-old has been excellent this season with a 1.98 ERA, 47/17 K/BB ratio and 1.06 WHIP in 50 even innings without allowing a homer. There could be some rust to shake off, but Fried is absolutely worth starting for those who have the 26-year-old southpaw on their roster.
New York Mets DFS Spin
Brandon Nimmo went 3-for-4 with a homer, a triple and three RBI in the Mets’ 10-6 defeat of the Phillies on Thursday. Nimmo hit a tiebreaking homer to begin the top of the ninth, and the Mets went on to add three more runs afterwards on an RBI triple from Dominic Smith and a two-run homer from Robinson Cano. Nimmo’s homer off Brandon Workman was his eighth of the year. His triple came with two-men on in the sixth, so this rates as his clutchiest day of the year; Nimmo came into the game with a .311 average and seven homers with the bases empty and a .189 average and no homers with men on.
Braves vs. Mets Betting Prediction
The under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings between these two teams at Citi Field but I’m fading that trend based on the numbers for the over. For example, the over is 7-3-1 in the Braves’ last 11 road games and is 12-5-1 in their last 18 road games when facing an opponent with a losing record. The over is also 11-4-3 in the Braves’ last 18 games overall and is 13-5-3 in their last 21 games as a favorite. Meanwhile, the over has cashed in four straight Mets’ home games, is 10-2 in their last 12 games when they face an opponent that scored two runs or fewer in their previous game and is 8-2 in their last 10 games overall.
FRIDAY MLB BETTING PREDICTION: BRAVES/METS OVER 8.5