Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves Betting Preview
11 April 2021
Philadelphia brings a 5-3 record into this game, and the Phillies are currently leading the NL East Division. The Phillies started off the year by winning four in a row but have not played as well since.
Atlanta lost its first four games of the season but has responded by winning the next four games. The Braves can move into a first-place tie with a win on Sunday, and most experts believe they will be in that position most of the season.
The Atlanta Braves are -173 in this matchup with their division rival on Sunday night.
Phillies Pitching Has Performed
There was some question surrounding the Phillies’ pitching staff coming into this season, but those questions have been answered in a big way. Philadelphia has a team ERA of just 3.42, and the starting rotation has been setting the ton with solid outings.
Matt Moore will make the start for the Phillies on Sunday, and he struggled a bit in the first outing. The Phillies aren’t going to outscore the Braves on most nights, and they must limit the Atlanta attack.
Philadelphia is still looking to get the bats going, especially for some of their biggest names. J.T. Realmuto is leading the team with a .346 batting average, but the Phillies have hit just seven home runs to begin the season.
Braves Bats Heating Up
The Atlanta Braves struggled at the plate in the first series against Philadelphia, but that is no longer the case. Atlanta has scored just 30 runs this season, but they are starting to hit the ball out of the ballpark.
Freddie Freeman leads the team with three home runs and six RBIs, and he was the hero in the win on Saturday. Ronald Acuna Jr. has been on a tear of late as well, leading the way with a .406 batting average.
Drew Smyly makes the start for Atlanta on Sunday night, and he just simply needs to limit the damage and give his offense a chance to take control of this game.
Sunday Night Sweep For Braves
It appears that the Atlanta Braves hitters are starting to get more comfortable, and that is bad news for the rest of the National League. Atlanta has one of the most potent lineups in all of baseball, and they should have a big game on Sunday.
Philadelphia has been getting great outings from its pitching staff this season, but trying to control the Atlanta Braves offense is never easy. The Phillies are also looking for more offense, especially from some of its biggest stars.
Philadelphia swept Atlanta on opening weekend, and the Braves will do the same to the Phillies this weekend. Bet the Atlanta Braves -1.5 over the Philadelphia Phillies in this NL East showdown on Sunday night.
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