The Atlanta Braves (1-0) travel to face off against the Philadelphia Phillies (0-1) on Saturday, March 30th. This game will be played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia and televised on NSPP+. The Braves are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Phillies are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Phillies. First pitch is set for 4:05 ET.
Braves vs Phillies
The Braves and Phillies wrapped up their most recent game in this series, with Atlanta winning by a score of 9-3. Despite the lopsided score, the Braves didn’t hit a single home run, while the Phillies hit one. Atlanta’s offense did most of its damage in the 8th inning, scoring seven runs.
Phillies starter Zack Wheeler went six innings and didn’t give up a run, but he didn’t factor into the decision. Jose Alvarado took the loss out of the bullpen, while Pierce Johnson got the win for Atlanta. Spencer Strider started for the Braves and went five innings, giving up two earned runs.
Three different Braves hitters had three hits in the game, including Matt Olson, who went 3/5 with three doubles. Adam Duvall drove in two runs, and Ronald Acuna Jr. had a stolen base and RBI.
Max Fried Gets The Start For The Braves
Max Fried is coming off a season in which he made 14 starts and went 8-1. His ERA for the season was 2.55, and he finished the year with a WHIP of 1.13. Fried’s batting average allowed was .234, and his on-base percentage allowed was .280. He finished the season with one complete game and one shutout, and he had eight quality starts. For the season, Fried averaged 9.27 strikeouts per nine innings and 2.09 walks per nine innings.
Braves Offense Breakdown
Our model is projecting a good day at the plate for the Braves’ Marcell Ozuna, as he has the 5th highest hits projection on the team and the top home run projection. In fact, his home run projection is 7th best in the league today. Matt Olson is also expected to have a solid game, as he has the 6th best hits projection on the team and the 7th best home run projection in the league. Austin Riley is 2nd on the team in both hits and home run projections, with his home run projection being 8th best in the league. Ronald Acuña Jr. is our top projected Braves hitter in terms of total hits, as his projection is 18th best in the league today.
Aaron Nola Gets The Start For The Phillies
Coming off a season in which he made 32 starts and went 12-9, Aaron Nola will be on the mound for the Phillies in their home opener against the Braves. Last season, Nola made three appearances against Atlanta, going 0-0 with an ERA of 2.62. For the season, his ERA was 4.46, and he had a WHIP of 1.15. Nola’s FIP for the season was 4.03, and he averaged 9.39 strikeouts per nine innings. For the season, Nola allowed 32 home runs and averaged 1.4 walks per game.
Phillies Offense Breakdown
For the Phillies, our top hitter in terms of total hits is Trea Turner, who has the 25th highest total hits projection in the league today. Bryce Harper has the 3rd highest total hits projection on the team, and his home run projection is 9th best in the league. However, if you are looking for a Phillies player to hit a home run, Kyle Schwarber has the top odds on the team and the 6th best odds in the league. Alec Bohm is our 2nd best hitter in terms of total hits on the Phillies.
Braves vs Phillies Prediction
With the money line payout, we really like the Phillies’ chances of picking up a win at home today. Our predicted final score is 5-4 in favor of the Phillies, and with them sitting at +115 on the money line, that is the way we recommend playing this one.
Looking at the starting pitchers, our projections have Aaron Nola going deeper into the game than Max Fried, and we have Nola finishing with six strikeouts compared to Fried’s five.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:March 30, 2024 Braves, Phillies