Atlanta Braves (70-40) vs Pittsburgh Pirates (51-61)
Atlanta Braves vs Pittsburgh Pirates 8/9/2023 – Atlanta entered Tuesday’s game with three consecutive losses but still holds a ten-game lead in the National League East. Is this the NL team to beat? The Braves hit .270 (2nd), with a .838 OPS (1st), and averaged 5.68 runs per game. They have a league-best 213 long balls this year and 88 base steals, which ranks 10th overall. The ATL pitching staff ranks ninth with a 3.89 ERA, sixteenth with a 1.28 WHIP, and fourteenth with 40 quality starts. For expert MLB game picks, consider exploring predictions from experienced analysts.
Prior to Tuesday’s match, Pittsburgh won three of its previous four, but the team is still ten games below .500 and nine matches behind division leader Milwaukee in the NL Central. Can the Bucs at the very least end the year with a winning record? The Pirates rank 24th in terms of run average (4.14), average batting (.235, 25th), and OPS (.698). In 2023, they have 87 base stealers who rank 11th, and 109 home runs rank 25th. With 42 quality starts, Pitt’s pitching staff ranks 12th with a 4.51 ERA (21st), 1.38 WHIP (24th), and 42 quality starts.
Braves vs. Pirates Game Info
| When: | Wednesday, August 9, 2023 7:05 PM ET. |
|---|---|
| Where: | PNC Park, PA |
| TV: | SportsNet PT |
| Stream: | MLB.TV |
Max Fried (3-1, 1.69 ERA,) vs Quinn Priester (2-1, 8.69)
For Atlanta, Fried will start the game on Wednesday night in Pittsburgh. On August 4, he came off the disabled list, blanking the Cubs in six innings with eight strikeouts. The native of California, who had a forearm strain, was on the IL for three months.
On Wednesday night, Priester will start for the home squad. In his most recent start against Milwaukee, he only lasted four innings, allowing five hits, three walks, and three runs. The first-round draft pick in 2019 won his last two starts despite allowing 9 runs on 9 hits and 9 walks in 10.1 combined innings against San Diego and Philadelphia.
MLB Odds/Point Spread: Atlanta Braves -208, Total Odds: 9.57
The totals went OVER in 4 of the Braves’ last 5 matches. The totals went OVER in 34 of the Braves’ 57 last matches at home. The totals went OVER in 3 of the Pirates’ last 5 matches. The totals went OVER in 31 of the Pirates’ 55 last matches at home.
Atlanta Braves Betting Trends
The Atlanta Braves are 2-3 in their last 5 matches.
The Atlanta Braves are 2-3 in their last 5 matches against the spread.
The Atlanta Braves are 26-27 in their road matches against the spread.
Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Trends
The Pittsburgh Pirates are 3-2 in their last 5 matches.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are 4-1 in their last 5 matches against the spread.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are 29-28 in their road matches against the spread.
Atlanta Braves vs Pittsburgh Pirates 8/9/2023 Betting Picks
Since the All-Star break, the Braves only went 10-11 straight up, but the reason is a dearth of offense. They are cutting. Since the mid-summer classic, the batting line has been 270 BA/.347 OBP/.524 SLG/.871 OPS, averaging six runs per game. Atlanta’s pitching, which has an ERA of 5.02, made a difference. However, it will profit from Fried’s presence on Wednesday. In support of a Braves rotation that will rely on him down the stretch, the 29-year-old southpaw is making his second start since May.
Fried had a 14-7 record, a 2.48 ERA, and a 1.01 WHIP in 30 appearances last year, 21 of which were strong starts. Tomorrow against a Pirates team that hit .218/.294/.364/.657 in July and is still having trouble at the plate in August, anticipate another strong start from the left-hander. Priester, who had trouble with command (14 BBs) and gave up too many runs (19) in his first four MLB starts (19.1 IP), ought to have an easy time against the Atlanta lineup.
The Braves, scoring 6.8 runs per game in August, will present him with his hardest test so far in the major leagues on Wednesday. Atlanta, which has a 38-29 run line record versus National League opposition, will triumph tomorrow by a margin of at least two runs. It’s also the strongest value play, with the money line at about -275. For the best sports picks today, explore predictions from reliable sources.
Free Pick and Prediction: Atlanta Braves will win 8-2.