Atlanta Braves vs Colorado Rockies Picks and Predictions September 5th 2024

Reynaldo Lopez and the Braves will look to extend their two-game winning streak on Thursday when they face off against the Rockies, who are 51-89 and have lost three straight. This NL matchup has a money line odds of +222 for the Rockies and -274 for the Braves. The over/under line is currently at 8.5 runs, and BSSO is carrying the game on TV.

Thursday’s matchup is set for 7:20 PM ET from Truist Park in Atlanta, and the Braves are 2nd in the NL East, while the Rockies are 5th in the NL West. Reynaldo Lopez is starting for the Braves, and the Rockies are going with Austin Gomber.

Left-hander Austin Gomber is on the mound for the Rockies today as he gets set to face the Braves on the road. Gomber has made 26 starts this year and has a record of 4-10 with a 4.69 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, Gomber has a WHIP of 1.30 and has turned in 10 quality starts. In his 26 outings, he has given up a total of 27 home runs. Gomber’s most recent outing came at home, where he took the loss, giving up three earned runs in six innings of work. Before that, he had won two straight starts.

So far this season, the Rockies are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 19th in the league. However, they have been a much better offensive team at home, averaging 5 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .244, which is 11th in the league, and have the 11th fewest strikeouts in the league. The Rockies have also been good at putting the ball in play, as their .31 BABIP is 2nd in the MLB.

Colorado’s top two home run hitters are Brenton Doyle and Ezequiel Tovar, who have 22 and 21 homers, respectively. Tovar is batting .268 for the season, while Doyle comes in with a batting average of .271. Brendan Rodgers has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 6/20 in his last five games with a home run.

Braves starter Reynaldo López has been tough to score on lately, as he has finished with a no-decision in each of his last three outings. Most recently, he picked up the win against the Phillies, going six innings and giving up just one earned run. Looking back over his last three outings, he has only given up one earned run in each start. López has made 22 starts this season and has a record of 8-4 with a 2.00 ERA. At home, his ERA is 1.73 compared to 2.34 on the road.

Marcell Ozuna has been a force in the Braves lineup this season, as he is batting .305 with 37 home runs and 98 RBIs, which is good for 5th in the league. Ozuna is also currently on a three-game hitting streak. Matt Olson is also a home run threat in the lineup, as he has gone deep 25 times this season, but his batting average is just .233.

Overall, the Braves offense is 4th in home runs and is averaging 4.3 runs per game. They have been a better offensive team on the road this season, averaging 4.6 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .241 and have the 10th best slugging percentage in the league.

The Atlanta Braves are set to wrap up their three-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, with the goal of completing the sweep. After back-to-back wins (3-0 and 5-2), the Braves look to keep their momentum going as Reynaldo López takes the mound, hoping to extend Atlanta’s dominance over Colorado in their final clash of the season.

Braves Push for Wild-Card Spot

The Braves (76-63) are chasing a National League Wild-Card spot, sitting just seven games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. Currently holding a slim half-game lead over the New York Mets for the final Wild-Card position, every game matters as they aim to stay in the postseason hunt. López, who has been red-hot recently, will be a key figure in keeping Atlanta’s playoff dreams alive.

Reynaldo López’s Recent Form

Reynaldo López (8-4, 2.00 ERA) has been in top form since returning from the injured list in August. After battling right forearm soreness, López has been lights-out, posting a 1.59 ERA with 23 strikeouts over 17 innings in his last three starts. His most recent outing was impressive—he gave up just one run over six innings in a 3-1 win against the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta’s lone victory in that series.

López’s confidence has been a key factor in his success. “Confidence is the most important thing,” López said. “Not getting too hung up if I miss a pitch and continuing to believe in myself and just keep attacking the hitters.” Although Thursday marks his first start against Colorado, López threw a scoreless inning of relief against the Rockies in 2022, so he’s no stranger to this lineup.

Austin Gomber Starts for Rockies

The Colorado Rockies will counter with left-hander Austin Gomber (4-10, 4.69 ERA), making his 27th start of the season—a career high. Gomber has been durable on the mound, pitching at least six innings in five of his last six starts. However, his results have been mixed, with a 2-3 record and a 4.37 ERA over that stretch. His last outing saw him give up three runs in six innings in a loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

Gomber has struggled away from Coors Field this season, holding a 3-7 record with a 4.89 ERA in 15 road starts. Historically, he has not performed well against the Braves, with a rough 7.71 ERA in six career appearances (three starts).

Atlanta’s Offense Shines and Injury Watch

The Braves’ offense continued to do just enough in Wednesday’s win, with former Rockies outfielder Sam Hilliard leading the way. Hilliard, who went 1-for-2 with an RBI triple and two walks, provided a key spark at the plate.

Meanwhile, the Braves are keeping a close eye on second baseman Whit Merrifield, who was hit in the back of the head by a pitch on Tuesday from Rockies rookie Jeff Criswell. Merrifield passed a concussion test and a CT scan, but he has remained sidelined after experiencing some lingering grogginess.

The Braves are optimistic that Merrifield will return soon, which would be a big boost as they push for the postseason.

Rockies’ Struggles on the Road

The Rockies (51-89) have endured a tough season, with road struggles being a major issue. Despite the efforts of players like Austin Gomber and Sam Hilliard, who notched an RBI triple on Wednesday, the Rockies have found it difficult to string together consistent performances away from home. With their postseason hopes long gone, the Rockies will be playing for pride and looking to avoid the sweep.

Series Outlook: Braves Poised for Sweep

With Reynaldo López on the mound and riding a wave of recent dominance, the Braves are in a strong position to complete the sweep over the Rockies. Austin Gomber will need to deliver a standout performance to keep the Rockies in the game, but Atlanta’s focus on securing a Wild-Card spot gives them the edge.

For the Braves, every game from here on out is critical, and finishing the series on a high note could be key to maintaining their postseason push.

Our lean for an over/under pick would be to take the over, as we have this one as the 3rd lowest-scoring game of the day. As for who is going to take this one straight up, we have our lean on the Rockies to pick up the win. Looking at today’s starters, we have Reynaldo López as the 4th best strikeout option compared to Austin Gomber, who is 5th worst.