Philadelphia Phillies vs Atlanta Braves Picks and Predictions August 30th 2024

Both the Braves and Phillies will be looking to pick up a win in this NL East matchup, as the Braves are 73-61, and the Phillies are 79-55. However, the Phillies are the betting favorite, with their money line odds sitting at -134, while the Braves are at +114. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs.

BSSE will be televising Friday’s matchup, and first pitch from Citizen Bank Park is set for 6:40 PM ET. Reynaldo Lopez will be going for the Braves, while the Phillies are sending Ranger Suarez to the mound.

Atlanta vs. Philadelphia Key Information

Right-hander Reynaldo López gets the start for the Braves today as he faces the Phillies on the road. He has made 21 starts this year and has a record of 7-4 with an ERA of 2.02. Lopez has turned in 11 quality starts this year and is coming off an outing in which he gave up just one earned run in six innings of work. In that outing, he gave up three hits, three walks, and one homer. Lopez has not taken a loss since July 22nd. Per nine innings, he is averaging 9.26 strikeouts and 3.19 walks.

Marcell Ozuna comes into the game as one of the league’s top power hitters, as his 37 home runs are 4th in the MLB this season. He also has 98 RBIs, which is 3rd in the league. Ozuna is batting .308 for the season and has an on-base percentage of .381. Matt Olson is also on a good stretch for the Braves, as he has four homers in his last nine games while hitting .306.

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Overall, the Braves are averaging 4.3 runs per game and are one of the league’s top home run-hitting teams. As a team, they are batting .242, which is 13th in the league, and are averaging 9 strikeouts per game. Currently, the Braves have several players on hitting streaks, including Ozuna and Olson.

Left-hander Ranger Suárez gets the start for the Phillies today as he faces the Braves at home. This year, he has made 21 starts and has a record of 11-5 with a 2.82 ERA. Suárez’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.06. In his 21 starts, he has one complete game shutout and 11 quality starts. Per nine innings, Suárez is averaging 8.83 strikeouts and just 2.03 walks. The last time he pitched, Suárez picked up the win, going five innings and giving up one earned run on six hits. Before that, he had lost two straight starts.

Philadelphia comes into the game as one of the league’s top offenses, averaging 4.9 runs per game, which is 6th in the majors. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.2 runs per contest. Overall, the Phillies are 3rd in the league in team batting average at .258. As a team, they are also among the league leaders in on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS.

Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper have been the team’s top power threats this season, as Schwarber’s 28 homers are the best on the team and 12th best in the league. Harper is right behind him with 26 homers. Alec Bohm is hitting .290 this season and leads the team with 89 RBIs. Over his last five games, Nick Castellanos has gone 5/20 with three homers.

Our lean for a money-line pick in this Braves vs. Phillies matchup is to take the Phillies to come out on top. We also have this as the 4th lowest-scoring game of the day, and with the over/under line sitting at 8 runs, we would lean towards the over. Looking at today’s starters, we have Ranger Suárez as the 9th best strikeout option compared to Reynaldo López (5th best).

Phillies Look to Extend NL East Lead Against Braves

The Philadelphia Phillies continue their quest for the National League East title as they take on the Atlanta Braves in the second game of a crucial four-game series on Friday. After a thrilling comeback victory in the series opener, the Phillies will aim to extend their six-game division lead over the Braves.

Phillies’ Momentum After Thrilling Comeback

The Phillies are coming off one of their most impressive wins of the season. Down 4-0 to the Braves, Philadelphia rallied with two pivotal home runs to secure a 5-4 victory. Brandon Marsh sparked the comeback with a three-run homer in the sixth inning, and Nick Castellanos sealed the deal with a two-run blast in the seventh.

“It’s the Atlanta Braves, man. It’s an in-division opponent, really good organization,” Marsh said. “Huge win for us here at home to start this four-gamer off.”

The win was the Phillies’ fifth in their last six games, putting them in a strong position as they chase their first NL East title since 2011.

“The guys just kept coming,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “I thought the at-bats were pretty good all night. They just kept battling.”

Ranger Suarez Takes the Mound

Philadelphia will turn to All-Star left-hander Ranger Suarez (11-5, 2.82 ERA) on Friday to build on the momentum from Thursday’s win. Suarez recently returned from a month-long absence due to a sore back and looked sharp in his first start back, holding the Kansas City Royals to one run over five innings. He was on a pitch count of 75 pitches in that game, but Thomson indicated that Suarez would likely be allowed to go deeper into Friday’s contest, with an expected pitch count of around 90.

“Now we can go to six (innings) and probably 90 pitches (Friday),” Thomson said after Suarez’s previous outing.

Suarez earned his first victory since June 8 in his return, and catcher J.T. Realmuto praised his performance. “He looked like he hadn’t missed a beat,” Realmuto said. “He’s a calming presence in our clubhouse. When he is on the mound, we know we’re going to have a good chance to win the game.”

However, Suarez has struggled against the Braves this season, allowing eight runs in 10 innings across two starts. Historically, he has a 2-3 record with a 3.72 ERA in 18 appearances (nine starts) against Atlanta.

Braves’ Power and Pitching

Atlanta’s offense will look to bounce back after Thursday’s loss, and first baseman Matt Olson has been a key contributor recently. Olson has hit four home runs in his last five games and has driven in at least one run in six straight contests. On Thursday, Olson homered twice off Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez.

“We’re kind of into not winning series but winning games,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “Every one is probably as important as the next right now with where we are.”

The Braves will send right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (7-4, 2.02 ERA) to the mound on Friday. Lopez has been effective against the Phillies this season, allowing just one run in 11 innings. In his last start against Philadelphia on August 20, Lopez struck out 10 batters while allowing one run over five innings.

“I didn’t expect things to go as well as they did,” Lopez said through an interpreter after his performance. “The most important thing is that the team won and at the end of the day, I feel good.”

Lopez has a strong track record against the Phillies, with a 2-0 record and a 2.37 ERA in five career appearances (three starts). He has also been particularly effective against Kyle Schwarber, who is 0-for-9 with six strikeouts against Lopez in his career.

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Phillies’ Injury Concern

Philadelphia might have to play without third baseman Alec Bohm, who left Thursday’s game after two innings due to hand discomfort that he first felt during a swing in the first inning. Although X-rays were negative, Bohm was still sore, and his status for Friday’s game is uncertain.

Series Outlook

With the division race heating up, the Phillies have a prime opportunity to extend their lead over the Braves in this pivotal series. Both teams are highly motivated, with the Phillies looking to capitalize on their recent momentum and the Braves aiming to close the gap in the standings. Friday’s pitching matchup between Ranger Suarez and Reynaldo Lopez will be crucial as both teams look to secure a critical win in their pursuit of the NL East title.