Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Prediction:
The Atlanta Braves are battling with the New York Mets for the final National League Wild Card spot. All eyes will be on Atlanta when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday Night Baseball.
Walker Buehler gets the start for the Dodgers. Coming off his second Tommy John surgery, Buehler has not been himself, posting a 5.95 ERA with 2.3 home runs and 3.2 walks surrendered per nine innings.
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Buehler has allowed at least three runs in 11 of his past 13 starts, with things going from bad to worse on the road with a 7.77 ERA.
While the Braves are last in the National League in home scoring with 3.9 runs per game, they entered the weekend second in the National League second in percentage of at-bats that result in a home run.
The Dodgers’ offense ranks third in the National League in road scoring with just over five runs per game, and the Braves call upon 40-year-old Charlie Morton to keep them in check.
Morton has a 4.11 ERA. While the 1.3 home runs and 3.4 walks per nine innings are high, he is getting 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings, just under 1.1 home runs per nine innings, and a 3.69 ERA at home this season.
The Braves back up Morton with a bullpen that has a 3.20 ERA since July 1, eighth in the league. The Dodgers have a 4.26 bullpen ERA during that span, which ranks 17th.
The Dodgers have the edge on offense, but with the way Buehler has been pitching coupled with the Braves having the upper hand in the bullpen, Atlanta will pick up a crucial win for their playoff chances on Sunday.
MLB Pick: Atlanta Braves -102
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