San Francisco Giants vs Atlanta Braves Picks and Predictions August 14th 2024

Boosted by former Bay Area players, Braves chase another win over Giants

At 9:45 PM ET, the Braves and Giants will square off in an NL matchup. This one is taking place at Oracle Park in San Francisco, and the Braves are the slight money line favorites, with their line sitting at -102 compared to the Giants at -117. The over/under line is currently 7.5 runs.

Wednesday’s matchup features Grant Holmes for the Braves and Robbie Ray for the Giants. Holmes will be making his MLB debut, while Ray is 8-5 with a 3.06 ERA this season. The Braves are 63-56 and the Giants 61-61.

Atlanta vs. San Francisco Key Information

• Teams: Braves at Giants
• Where: Oracle Park San Francisco
• Date: Wednesday, August 14th
• Betting Odds SF -117 | ATL -102 O/U 7.5

The Braves Can Win If…

Right-hander Grant Holmes gets the start for the Braves today as he faces the Giants on the road. He has made three starts and 13 appearances this season, coming out of the bullpen for his most recent outing. Holmes’ record for the year is 0-0, and he has an ERA of 3.79. Opponents are batting .223 this season off Holmes. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, giving up five earned runs in five innings of work. Before that, he had gone three straight outings without giving up a homer.

Marcell Ozuna has been on a tear of late, going 10/27 in his last six games with three homers. For the season, he is batting .301 and is 3rd in the MLB with 90 RBIs. Ozuna is also on a seven-game hitting streak. Matt Olson is 2nd on the team with 20 homers but is batting just .230 so far this season.

As a team, the Braves are 4th in home runs and are averaging 4.3 runs per game. Their team batting average of .241 is 13th in the league, and they are also among the league leaders in isolated power. Overall, they are 18th in scoring and have been a better offensive team on the road this season.

• The Braves are 3-7 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Braves are 1-4 vs. the run line.
• Atlanta has an over/under record of 6-4 in their last ten games.
• The Braves have an average of 5.8 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Braves are 7-3
• Looking back across the Braves last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
• Atlanta has gone 0-3 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Braves have averaged 5.6 runs per game on offense

The Giants Can Win If…

Robbie Ray and the Giants are hosting the Braves today. Ray has been solid in each of his first two starts, picking up a win in his last outing against the Reds. He struck out 9 in that game and went 6 innings. Ray’s first start of the year was a no-decision vs. the Tigers, where he went 6 innings and gave up 2 earned runs.

Heading into today’s game, the Giants are averaging 4.4 runs per game, which has them 15th in the league. This season, they have been a better offensive team on the road, averaging 4.4 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .242, which is 12th in the league, and are also 12th in home runs. San Francisco’s offense has been pretty good at avoiding strikeouts, as they are 20th in the league in this category.

Matt Chapman and Heliot Ramos have been the Giants’ top power threats this season, with Chapman leading the team with 19 homers and Ramos right behind him at 17. Chapman also has the team’s top batting average at .248, while Ramos is hitting .282. Over his last five games, Tyler Fitzgerald has gone 5/21 with one homer and three runs scored.

• The Giants are 6-4 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Giants are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• San Francisco has an over/under record of 5-5 in their last ten games.
• The Giants have an average of 2.6 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Giants are 6-4
• Looking back across the Giants last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
• San Francisco has gone 0-3 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Giants have averaged 5.4 runs per game on offense

The Lean

Today’s game between the Braves and Giants has the 4th lowest combined runs projection and 4th lowest total hits projection. However, our lean would be to the over. As for who we are leaning to take this one straight up, we like the Braves to come out on top. Atlanta starter Grant Holmes is 20th among today’s starters in our projections in strikeouts, while Robbie Ray is 5th.

The Atlanta Braves are making headlines as they continue their winning streak against the San Francisco Giants, driven by a group of players with deep ties to the Bay Area. This series has become a homecoming of sorts for these former Giants and Oakland Athletics players, who have made significant contributions to Atlanta’s recent victories.

Braves’ Former Bay Area Stars Shine

In the second game of the series, the Braves secured a 4-3 win over the Giants, with former San Francisco and Oakland players leading the charge. Jorge Soler, previously a Giant, delivered an RBI double, while Pierce Johnson, another ex-Giant, held the line by allowing just one unearned run in his inning on the mound. Ramon Laureano, a former Athletic, added to the Braves’ tally with a solo home run, among his two hits for the night. Jesse Chavez, also a Bay Area alum, pitched a scoreless inning, striking out two.

This isn’t the first time in the series that ex-Bay Area players have been instrumental. In the series opener, Sean Murphy and Matt Olson, both formerly with the Athletics, and Adam Duvall, an ex-Giant, were key contributors in the Braves’ narrow 1-0 victory. The Braves’ bullpen is still waiting to see action from Luke Jackson, another former Giants player, but his time may come as the series progresses.

Giants Struggle in Close Contests

The Giants are reeling from three consecutive one-run losses, including the two defeats at the hands of the Braves. These narrow losses have pushed San Francisco back to a .500 record for the season and widened the gap between them and the Braves in the race for the final National League wild-card spot. Manager Bob Melvin expressed his frustration, particularly given the team’s usual success in close games at home.

“It’s frustrating,” Melvin admitted. “Three games in a row where we’ve lost by a run, and at home, where we’ve been pretty good about winning the close games.”

Duvall’s Future in Question

As the Braves look to extend their winning streak, roster decisions loom. Adam Duvall’s struggles at the plate have continued, with his season average dropping to .178 after going 0-for-4 in the series opener. With outfielder Michael Harris II expected to return from the injured list in time for the next game, Duvall’s spot on the roster might be in jeopardy.

Conversely, Jorge Soler has been thriving since being traded to the Braves at the deadline last month. In 12 games with Atlanta, Soler has posted a .279 average with four home runs. Despite the physical demands of returning to regular outfield duties, Soler has been a consistent presence, adding both power and versatility to the Braves’ lineup.

“It hasn’t been easy,” Soler said regarding his outfield role. “I definitely feel the aches and pains from being out there running around every day.”

Travis d’Arnaud: The Series Hero

Travis d’Arnaud, a Southern California native, has emerged as a clutch performer for the Braves in this series. He was responsible for driving in the game-winning runs in both of the Braves’ one-run victories—first with a sacrifice fly in extra innings on Monday, then with a critical single in Tuesday’s game. His impact has been felt not only with the bat but also in managing the Braves’ pitching staff, a factor that could be pivotal as the series continues.

Preview of the Next Game

Looking ahead to Wednesday night’s matchup, the Braves will likely start right-hander Grant Holmes, a former first-round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Holmes has shown promise since transitioning to a starting role, pitching 14 2/3 innings over his last three outings with 20 strikeouts. His only previous appearance against the Giants was a successful 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief earlier this season.

The Giants will counter with left-hander Robbie Ray, who has a mixed history against the Braves, going 1-3 with a 4.85 ERA in seven career starts. However, Ray has been effective in his last two outings, allowing just four runs over 11 innings while striking out 16. The Giants have won three of Ray’s four starts this season, and they will need another strong performance from him to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Braves Eye Series Win

With a 3-2 lead in the season series, the Braves are eager to clinch a season-series victory over the Giants. Given the high stakes and the strong performances from their former Bay Area players, Atlanta is well-positioned to continue its dominance in this crucial matchup.

Conclusion:

The Braves are riding the momentum brought by their former Bay Area stars as they close in on a potential playoff spot. With key contributions from players like Jorge Soler and Travis d’Arnaud, Atlanta has the upper hand against a Giants team struggling to find its footing in close games. As the series continues, the Braves’ mix of veteran leadership and timely hitting could prove decisive.

Take your MLB handicapping to the next level with our expert MLB handicappers