Over the course of the 120 or so games that every team in the MLB has played, it has become very clear who the favorites are as we head ever closer towards the postseason. While we don’t yet know which teams will be taking part in the playoffs, there are a few who will definitely be there. It is teams like the New York Yankees, LA Dodgers, and Houston Astros who have raised the bar that the others need to reach if they are to derail any of those three on the road to the World Series.
Playing against those teams is one way for the other potential playoff teams to see where they are at as we head into the final few weeks of the regular season. We get one of those match-ups this weekend, with the LA Dodgers heading south to face the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves. This looks to be one of the best series on the weekend schedule. The opening game goes on Friday night, with the Braves favored by 1 ½. The run total for this game has been set at 10.
How to Bet Dodgers vs Braves MLB Odds & Expert Pick
- When: Friday, August 16 at 7:20 PM EST
- Where: SunTrust Stadium, Atlanta
- Starting Pitchers: Maeda vs. Soroka
- TV: MLB Extra Innings
- Radio: 92.9 The Game
- Live Stream: MLB.tv
- MLB Odds: Atlanta Braves -120 (Total 10)
Cardinals vs Reds MLB Spread & Pick for Friday Night
Weather Forecast
- Sunny: 32°C/90°F
- Humidity: 37%
- Precipitation: 0%
- Cloud Cover: 0%
- Wind: 6 mph NNW
- Stadium Type: Open
Why bet on the LA Dodgers?
If you want to talk about raising the bar in the MLB this season, you need to have the LA Dodgers in the conversation. This is a team that has been to each of the last two World Series, failing to win each time, and who seem to be on a collision course with the championship series again. They are sitting at 81-42 on the season after going on a run that has seen them win 8 of their last 10 games.
They seem like an obvious pick in every single game they play, but they have been a little more mortal on the road, posting a 33-26 record. The Dodgers have dominated the Braves of late, winning 6 of the last 7 meetings. They are also 4-1 SU in their last 5 road games overall. They will have Kenta Maeda (8-8, 4.12 ERA) on the mound on Friday.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 5.51
- Hits: 8.84
- Walks: 3.83
- Strike Outs: 8.15
- Runs: 3.75
- Hits: 7.52
- Walks: 2.30
- Strike Outs: 9.16
Why bet on the Atlanta Braves?
The Braves will be a little disappointed that they were unable to complete the sweep of the New York Mets on Thursday night, but any time you can take 2 of 3 from a team trying to catch you, there is a reason to be happy, especially this late in the season. With those wins, Atlanta is now 71-52 on the season and remain 5 ½ games ahead in the race for the NL East crown, which they also won last year.
Last season as a big step forward for the Braves, but it’s more than just about making the playoffs this time around. There needs to be an improvement, which means a deeper run in the postseason. Atlanta is 6-4 in their last 10 and is now 34-26 in their own ballpark. They will have the impressive Mike Soroka (10-2, 2.32 ERA) on the mound for this one.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 5.39
- Hits: 9.15
- Walks: 3.66
- Strike Outs: 8.84
- Runs: 4.85
- Hits: 8.92
- Walks: 3.64
- Strike Outs: 8.55
Brewers vs Nationals MLB Lines & Game Preview
Dodgers vs Braves MLB Betting Trends
- Dodgers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers’ last 5 games against an opponent in the National League
- Braves are 3-8 SU in their last 11 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers
- The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Atlanta’s last 20 games at home
- Braves are 32-23 against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season
- Dodgers are 81-42 against the money line in all games this season
- Maeda is 2-0 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 0.68 and a WHIP of 0.825
- Dodgers is 3-0 against ATLANTA this season
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Dodgers vs Braves
Every time Mike Soroka is handed the ball, the Braves always have a legitimate shot at winning. He will certainly help keep this one close, but I also believe that he helps the Braves get off to a winning start.
Score: LA Dodgers 3 – Atlanta Braves 5
