Several prominent pitching duels are on the roster for today’s MLB games, but one in particular eclipses the rest. This standout matchup is set to take place in Atlanta, where Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates is scheduled to face off against Max Fried of the Braves. This game is the second installment in their three-game series at Truist Park.
Charlie Morton delivered 6.1 shutout innings last night, contributing to the Braves’ 6-1 victory. His performance, along with a five-run third inning, helped the Braves (45-35) bounce back from consecutive losses to the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago White Sox. Morton only allowed three hits and one walk, while striking out seven.
Today, the Pirates (39-42) aim to level the series, with Skenes pitching for his ninth MLB start. It’s just over a year since his last college start for LSU, and despite making his major league debut only on May 11, Skenes is currently a -250 favorite for the NL Rookie of the Year.
Atlanta’s bats may not need to do much to secure the series win, with arguably the best southpaw in the show ready to counter on the mound.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Atlanta Braves Odds
These Pirates vs Braves odds are as of Monday, June 17. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then grab yourself a nice sign-up bonus to bet on Major League Baseball.
Moneyline
- Pittsburgh Pirates +125
- Atlanta Braves -136
Over/Under
- Over 7.5 (-102)
- Under 7.5 (-118)
Run Line
- Pittsburgh Pirates +1.5 (-180)
- Atlanta Braves -1.5 (+160)
Today’s Pitching Matchup for Pirates vs Braves
- Right-Handed Pitcher Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates has a record of 4 wins and 0 losses from 8 starts. His Earned Run Average (ERA) is 2.14 with 46.1 Inning Pitches (IP). He has 61 strikeouts against 8 walks, with a Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched (WHIP) of 0.99 and an opponent batting average (OBA) of .222.
- Max Fried, a left-handed pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, has started 15 games. He has a win-loss record of 7-3 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.00. Fried has played 90 innings, with 80 strikeouts and 27 walks. His walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) is 1.07 and his opponents’ batting average (OBA) is .211.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Atlanta Braves Betting Analysis and Trends
The Pirates suffered only their second loss during a start by Skenes last time. Skenes put in a solid performance against the Tampa Bay Rays the previous Sunday, pitching seven solid innings, giving up just six hits, one walk, and one run, and striking out eight. Despite his efforts, the game ended in a tie at 1-1 during his tenure. However, the Rays managed to clinch a 3-1 victory by scoring two runs in the eighth inning.
Today, Skenes will face an inconsistent Atlanta lineup. They had an impressive performance, scoring six runs in the first game of their doubleheader against the Cardinals on Wednesday. However, their performance declined in the second game, managing to score only one run in 18 innings, leading to a loss against the White Sox on Thursday.
Despite being shut out in their last five at-bats last night, their successful third inning was enough to support Morton’s exceptional performance.
Atlanta has achieved a 25-13 (.658) record in games that followed a win for the season, ranking eighth in MLB. More recently though, they achieved a 7-2 (.778) record in their last nine games that followed a win. Despite the bats still working to get going, they are experiencing some success.
Despite the challenge of confronting Skenes for the first time, this situation appears to be a good opportunity to support the Braves at more favorable odds than many of their home games.
This season, they have a record of 11-4 in games started by Fried, with a 4-1 record at home. Their only defeat occurred on May 17 against the San Diego Padres. Despite Fried keeping the Padres scoreless for four innings in that game, he encountered difficulties in the fifth inning, resulting in a 3-1 loss.
Should things proceed as they usually do in most of Fried’s starts, it’s not just that the Braves are likely to win, but the under is also expected to hit. The reason for this? In each of his first four starts, there were no less than nine combined runs. However, in his most recent 11 starts, the combined runs have been seven or less on nine occasions.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Atlanta Braves Prediction & Best Bets
Prediction for Pirates vs Braves: Braves to win
Best Bets for Pirates vs Braves: Braves ML & Pirates/Braves under 7.5
5/5 Review Rating 50% up to $1,000
Bonus Details »
$10 Cash Bonus with code “BNEWS”
Sports, Casino, Poker & Racebook
More MLB Betting Information
How to Bet on Major League Baseball in 2024
Betting on Major League Baseball can be done in many ways, similar to the NFL, NBA, and NHL. The primary methods include moneyline and spread betting, in addition to over/under betting.
Futures bets (like Cy Young odds) and prop bets (like strikeout props and batting props) are also one of the most popular ways to bet on the action on the diamond.
Where to Bet on MLB
Many top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of MLB odds throughout the season.
In addition to being able to make daily MLB picks on games from Opening Day until the final game of the Fall Classic, you can also bet on MLB MVP odds, Cy Young Award odds, and MLB Rookie of the Year odds, as well as World Series odds.
Numerous sportsbooks can provide a good platform for betting on baseball. However, after our review, we highly recommend the following:
- BetDSI (Review)
- BetOnline (Review)
- BetUS (Review)
- Bovada (Review)
- Everygame (Review)
- MyBookie (Review)
Should you lack an account for a book on this list, consider reading our reviews to evaluate its worthiness of your interest and betting funds.
Interested in Learning More About Betting on Baseball?
If you’re new to baseball betting or want to become more familiar with the complexities of placing MLB bets, take a look at our MLB betting guide.
- MLB Betting Guide: How to Bet on Baseball in 2024
Did this betting breakdown of Pirates vs Braves pique your interest? Don’t forget to bookmark Betting News to stay updated with our daily MLB content. Additionally, explore our MLB picks and insights and engage with our content on X (previously known as Twitter), Twitch, and TikTok.
- Betting News on “X”/Twitter
- Betting News on Twitch
- Betting News on TikTok
