Atlanta vs Boston Odds, Lines & Spread

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The lone national TV matchup around Major League Baseball Tuesday also features two of the oldest players in the game facing off on the mound as 38-year-old Charlie Morton and the visit 42-year-old Rich Hill and the Boston Red Sox. Atlanta is favored on the MLB odds.

How to Bet Braves at Red Sox MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Tuesday, 7:10 PM ET
Where: Fenway Park
Probable pitchers (away/home): Charlie Morton/Rich Hill
TV: TBS
Stream/gameday audio: TBS app; https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
Opening MLB Lines: Braves -145, Red Sox +135 (total 9.5)

Why Bet on Atlanta?

The Braves were pushing the New York Mets in the NL East but then Atlanta lost four of five at the Mets over the weekend so the division title is most likely out of reach now.

Star outfielder Ronald Acuna was scratched from Sunday’s lineup against the Mets due to lower body soreness. It was a precautionary move from Atlanta given the rain and wet conditions Sunday in New York. Acuna should play Tuesday. He is hitting .375 (9-for-24) with three walks, two doubles and a home run in six games this month and has a 1.027 OPS over this six-game stretch.

All-Star catcher Travis d’Arnaud was held out of the lineup Sunday as well. D’Arnaud was involved in an on-field collision during Saturday’s contest. X-rays came back negative on his right leg for any fractures but he’s not likely to play Tuesday. Atlanta called up Chadwick Tromp from Triple-A to provide a depth option behind William Contreras at catcher.

Kirby Yates (elbow) fired a perfect inning on Sunday in a minor league rehab appearance for Triple-A Gwinnett. Yates needed just seven pitches (six strikes) to toss a flawless inning. The 35-year-old right-hander appears to be ready to rejoin the Braves’ bullpen for his season debut after making four strong rehab appearances at Triple-A Gwinnett since July 27.

Sunday’s loss marked the first time this season that Atlanta dropped a third straight game. It marked the deepest by games played the Braves had ever gone into a season without losing three games in a row.

Tuesday’s starter on the mound is Charlie Morton (5-5). Morton didn’t factor into the decision in last Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to the Phillies, allowing three hits and a walk over 6.2 scoreless innings. He struck out eight. The veteran right-hander was in vintage form, generating 18 swinging strikes among his 101 pitches and exiting the game with Atlanta holding a 1-0 lead. Morton was denied his sixth win of the year when Collin McHugh imploded in the eighth inning. Morton has delivered six quality starts in his last nine outings, posting a 2.40 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 68:17 K:BB through 56.1 innings over that stretch.

During the last 6 1/2 weeks, the .179 batting average against Morton is the lowest among all Braves starters. His ERA in that span is second only to All-Star ace Max Fried. The hard-hit rate he has allowed also ranks only behind Fried. A few too many balls have gotten away from Morton, contributing to a 3.48 FIP entering Wednesday’s start, but he has still been a productive member of the rotation.

Why Bet on Boston?

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that Enrique Hernández (hip) has “felt great” since resuming swinging a bat. Hernández has made gradual progress towards returning to the Red Sox’ lineup since receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right hip just prior to the All-Star break. Boston could use him back in center field with rookie Jarren Duran struggling mightily from a defensive standpoint recently. Hernández is getting close to a minor league rehab assignment. Duran was dropped to ninth in the batting order and went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI while misplaying a pair of flyballs in Sunday’s 13-5 loss to the Royals.

Cora said “there’s a good chance” reliever Matt Strahm will throw a bullpen session Tuesday. Strahm was hit on the left wrist by a line drive July 12 and has slowly come back to the point of throwing. A throwing session Tuesday potentially puts him on schedule to return rejoin the Red Sox by the weekend.

All-Star shortstop is on the cusp of becoming just the 8th player to record 150+ HR and 300+ doubles with the Red Sox (150 HR, 298 doubles). Only 24 players in MLB history have recorded 150+ HR and 300+ doubles prior to turning 30 years old, including 1 shortstop (Alex Rodriguez) and 1 Red Sox player (Carl Yastrzemski). Bogaerts turns 30 on Oct. 1.

It’s lefty Rich Hill (4-5) on the mound Tuesday. Hill struggled in his return from the injured list last Wednesday in Houston, allowing four runs over three innings. Hill hadn’t pitched with the big club in more than a month after tearing the MCL in his left knee and he certainly looked rusty. The 42-year-old served up Trey Mancini’s first home run as an Astro in the second inning and allowed six hits in his three frames overall, striking out just one.

The Sox have won 4 of Hill’s last 7 starts (3-2, 4.15 ERA, 30 SO, 12 BB). The only other pitchers to make 10+ starts for the Red Sox at the age of 42 or older are Tim Wakefield (71) and David Wells (32).

The Red Sox have come from behind in 4 of their last 5 wins and 7 of their last 9. The Red Sox have won each of their last 6 extra-inning games, after losing each of their first 6.