Phillies vs Braves: MLB Predictions, Odds & Best Bets (8/21)

Two NL East teams face off today in Atlanta as the Braves host the Phillies. Tonight is the second game of this three game series, and the Braves were able to get the best of Philly last night. Atlanta won 3-1, and despite being 6 games behind the Phillies in the division, they actually lead the regular season series 5-2. These teams will share one more series before the season is over, but the Phillies lead is dwindling in the NL East.

Once, Philadelphia held a significant lead over the Braves in the NL East, but after two consecutive losses, their lead has shrunk to just six games. While time is dwindling, there’s still a chance for the Braves to accumulate some victories and claim the division. Philadelphia is currently on a losing streak with four straight losses on the road and are facing a challenging road trip, with their next stop being Kansas City after this series.

Will the Phillies recover in tonight’s game in Atlanta? Alternatively, can the Braves secure their 4th consecutive victory?

Philadelphia Phillies vs Atlanta Braves: NL East Showdown

Can Fried perform well against the Phillies tonight?

Game Information – Phillies vs Braves

  • Location & Venue: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
  • Date: Wednesday, August 21st, 2024
  • First Pitch: 7:20pm Eastern

Phillies vs Braves Starting Pitchers

  • Aaron Nola of the Philadelphia Phillies has stats of 11-6, with a 3.45 ERA and 1.16 WHIP.
  • Max Fried of the Atlanta Braves has a record of 7-7, an ERA of 3.62, and a WHIP of 1.25.

Betting Odds

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Run Line

  • Phillies +1.5 (-215)
  • Braves -1.5 (+185)

Money Line

  • Phillies -103
  • Braves -107

Total

  • Over 8 (-104)
  • Under 8 (-116)

Aaron Nola Starts Against the Braves Tonight

Can Nola compete effectively against the Braves on the road?

Aaron Nola is set to pitch for the Phillies tonight. Despite an overall impressive season, his recent performances have been less consistent. Since the All Star Break, he hasn’t managed a single win and has lost his last two road games. During his two most recent road starts, Nola has conceded 7 runs in 11 innings from 17 hits. He’s also only managed to strike out 4 batters in each of his last four starts. However, his last outing showed promise, as he pitched 6.2 scoreless innings against the Nationals at home, allowing only 7 hits and 2 walks. Unfortunately, the Phillies have lost five out of the last six games in which Nola has pitched, and with his stats largely unchanged, tonight may present another challenging start for him.

Nola has had the fortune of encountering the Braves twice already, registering a 1-1 record in those two starts, although they were separated by several months. The Phillies suffered a 12-4 defeat to the Braves in March, with Nola only lasting 4.1 innings. He surrendered 2 home runs and accumulated 6 earned runs on 11 hits while in Philadelphia, but managed to recalibrate in his next appearance. On July 5th, he delivered a 6-inning performance on the road, conceding 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 home runs. Despite this, he struck out 8 batters and clinched the victory. The Braves have a .251 batting average in August, but their team average declines to .237 against right-handed pitchers.

Regarding the Braves’ pitching, Max Fried is the chosen one. The left-handed pitcher has a high ERA at home and his WHIP increases to 1.54 at Truist Park. When it comes to his latest performance, it leaves much to be desired. Fried hasn’t tasted victory since June 23rd, and his pitching has been far from impressive.

Max Fried Since July

  • 25.2 Innings Pitched
  • 6.42 ERA
  • 1.87 WHIP

Fried has already had two encounters with the Phillies, both of which did not go well for him. His first start of the season was against Philly, where he only managed to pitch 0.2 innings before letting 3 runs slip on 2 hits and 3 walks. Despite this, the Braves managed to secure a 12-4 victory, and Fried was not held responsible for the decision. More recently, on July 5th, Fried again pitched against the Phillies. This time, he allowed 5 runs on 11 hits, including 2 home runs in 6 innings, resulting in an 8-6 loss for the Braves. Fried’s performance has been declining since then, and he faces a challenging task tonight against the Phillies.

Philadelphia Phillies vs Atlanta Braves Best Bets

Can the Phillies recover tonight away from home?

Phillies vs Braves Prediction: Phillies Win

Best Bet: Phillies F5 TT Over 1.5 (-145) BetOnline

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I’m putting a lot of faith in the Phillies’ hitters today to rack up some early and consistent runs. Considering they have already shown they can dominate this player and hit an average of .274 against left-handed pitchers, it’s baffling why the odds are so low. The Phillies have topped this first five innings (F5) number in both games they’ve played against Fried, even scoring 3 runs before the first inning ended in one of their face-offs. Though they’ve only scored 4 or more runs against the Braves in 3 out of 7 games this season, they managed to do so in both games Fried started.

The Phillies have a strong track record against left-handed pitchers, and Fried has had a tough time against them in two previous encounters. His performance over the past two months has been particularly poor. Despite having only one outstanding hitter against Fried, I’m supporting the historical data that suggests Philadelphia should be able to rack up runs against him. There are five Phillies hitters who have a batting average of at least .300 and have faced Fried a minimum of 18 times.

  • Alec Bohm: .333 AVG, 27 AB
  • Nick Castellanos: .611 AVG, 18 AB
  • Bryce Harper: .303 AVG, 33 AB
  • J.T. Realmuto: .381 AVG, 42 AB
  • Treat Turner: .395 AVG, 43 AB

Kyle Schwarber is the only Phillies player with 20+ at-bats against Fried who is hitting below .300. Given the capabilities of the Phillies bats, I anticipate a spectacular performance from them tonight.

Bonus Bet: Phillies TT Over 3.5 (-131) BetOnline

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