Braves vs. Phillies Odds & Betting Predictions - August 30, 2024

Follow On X: https://x.com/PicksOffice Ranger Suárez will take the hill for Philadelphia, carrying a 2.82 ERA and 1.19 WHIP into tonight's contest, having pitched 124.1 innings thus far this season. Suárez has been one of the more consistent arms within the Phillies' rotation, and when he pitches at home, he has given performances that are nothing less than stellar. His 6.3° average launch angle and 1.34 ratio of groundballs to flyballs hint at his ability to induce ground balls, his_irq issue specifically in terms of preventing extra-base hits and home runs. That groundball tendency is a big determinant when facing such power-hitting lineups as Atlanta's, neutralizing them from pushing mistakes over the wall. Suárez's barrel percentage also sits at just 4.7%, which explains that few hitters are taking quality contact off of him. His Hard Hit% of 35.5% further shows his ability to limit damage and make it tough on opposing hitters to find the type of contact that results in big innings. Given these metrics, Suárez is well-positioned to stymie an Atlanta offense that, while potent overall, has shown vulnerabilities, especially against left-handed pitching. Atlanta will counter with Reynaldo López, who has been equally impressive with a 2.02 ERA and a WHIP of 1.18 over 115.2 innings. López has been a godsend for the Braves, especially in terms of giving up strikes, with 88 this season. His recent form, in particular, is outstanding since, in his last three starts, he has managed to record an ERA of 1.22, showing that he is peaking in the right place. The artillery of pitches that López has relied on-so reliant on a four-seam fastball-slider mix-has kept hitters so off-balance and is a big contributor to such a strong strikeout rate, along with limiting scoring opportunities. Perhaps to the point most succinctly regarding López's dominance, he has faced the Phillies twice this season, permitting just one run in 11 innings of work-a clear indication that he can handle the Philadelphia lineup. The big factor here is he has dominated Kyle Schwarber to a tune of 0-for-9 with six strikeouts off him, one of the more dangerous power threats in the Phillies' lineup. If López continues holding down those kinds of key hitters like Schwarber, then the Phillies will struggle to score runs against him. Also not to be overlooked is the bullpen of the Braves, which will be ready in support of López and also plays a critical role in keeping this game low-scoring. They've just had really good Atlanta relievers, with a 1.12 WHIP and near the top of the league in strikeout rate. It's just more depth in the bullpen to know that even if López doesn't go deep, the Braves can still keep the total lower. For the most part, the bullpen for the Phillies has been the same, recording an ERA of 2.76 and a WHIP of 1.06. Its recent performance-most recently allowing just 3 earned runs over its last 23.2 innings-indicates it is firing on all cylinders. Neither team probably will be able to stage a major rally after the starters exit given the capabilities of both bullpens to shut down offenses late in games. The. Both teams have certainly had their struggles offensively in some key areas that further support the Under. The Braves, if nothing else, have power potential but have hit just .235 as a team with a low on-base percentage of .300. Struggles are magnified against left-handed pitchers like Suárez, as they have a .251 batting average but only a .313 OBP. Meanwhile, Philadelphia has the slightly better team average at .248 but faces a tough matchup in López, who has had their number this season. In addition, strong pitching can tend to neutralize the power hitters for the Braves, reflected in their relatively low home run rate against left-handed pitchers at 0.4 HR per game. That, coupled with Suárez's tendencies to induce ground balls, this could be a game where Atlanta might not be able to rely on the long ball simply to try and win. The Philadelphia offense has also struggled through hot and cold periods much of the season and with Alec Bohm day-to-day nursing an injury to his hand, the Phillies lineup could be even more limited in their ability to put runs on the board.

Johnny