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• Atlanta Braves vs. Cincinnati Reds
• Friday, June 23 at 7pm ET
• Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio
As you’ve probably taken notice of in the past month or so, the Atlanta Braves have been on absolute fire. This team continues to impress, with Atlanta getting the job done both at the plate and with its pitching. Having said that, the pressure is on Atlanta to keep putting on strong performances week in and week out. In the coming days, Cincinnati will be its next opponent. And with that, the Braves should take down the Reds in Friday’s series-opener.
As things stand, Atlanta is 47-26 on the year, which has been great to see. At the start of the campaign, people were a bit worried about the Braves, but that’s no longer the case. The Braves are without question looking like one of the best teams out there, as their MLB betting odds have skyrocketed. Now, the Reds will hope to record an upset or two against the NL East side, but that’s going to be quite tough.
| Braves vs. Reds odds |  |  |  |  |
| Braves to win | -115 | -115 | -115 | -115 |
| Reds to win | +125 | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Over to hit | -110 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under to hit | -110 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
The Reds have had their ups and downs, which has unfortunately become a pretty consistent issue for them in recent years. While this contest on Friday will be played in Cincinnati, not a lot of people have a ton of faith in the home side being able to take down the mighty Braves. From our chair, it will be quite a tall task for the Reds, as Atlanta will enter this series with all the confidence in the world.
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the Braves hold -115 MLB betting odds for this showdown, while the Reds have been set at +125. Normally, you’d think the home team would be able to come out on top, but the Braves are simply too good of a team right now. Whether they play on the road or at home, Atlanta will look to make a statement. With that said, we’re going with the Braves as our pick.
Matt Olson is crushing the baseball.
Do you think he deserves to go to the All-Star Game?https://t.co/AOTyLAg5Kr pic.twitter.com/fwAxEAIGmD
— MLB (@MLB) June 21, 2023
The over should hit between the Braves and Reds
Leading up to the action, the over should hit between the Braves and Reds. Atlanta is yet to announce who they’ll be sending out to start, but the Reds will be giving Luke Weaver the nod. This is bad news for Cincinnati, but great news for the Atlanta batters. On the season, Weaver is 1-2 on the year with a 6.47 ERA. We don’t have to tell you that the high ERA is quite concerning for the coaching staff.
This is only going to prove to be a big problem for Weaver due to the fact that the Braves have an outstanding lineup. Their offense is tough to match, with Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Marcell Ozuna and Ronald Acuna Jr. leading the way. Acuna Jr. is 100 percent in the NL MVP conversation, as he keeps on getting better with each game. Olson is always a threat at the plate too – he’s a fantastic talent.
Matt Olson never misses an opportunity to shout out Ronald Acuña Jr. 🙌@Kelly_Crull talked to the Braves first baseman about this lineup. pic.twitter.com/FU9XdEldZ1
— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) June 21, 2023
The Reds have a lot of young prospects who are looking to make a splash too, which could open the door for plenty of runs to be scored by the home team. Manager Brian Snitker is yet to decide who will start on Friday, but regardless of who he decides to give the ball to, things won’t be easy for him in taking on the Cincy hitters. This has what it takes to be a memorable offensive showdown between the two.
Per the oddsmakers, the over/under has been set at 6.5 runs. This feels pretty low, especially with the quality of both of these teams. From our chair, we feel like it would be a major stunner if at least seven runs aren’t scored between the two. With that said, we’re definitely going with the over as our pick.
Ronald Acuna Jr. is among the highest-voted players for the All-Star Game
If you need further proof of how good and popular this team is, Ronald Acuna Jr. is among the highest-voted players for the All-Star Game. Fans have been showering Acuna with love for a while now, as he’s no question one of the best players in the National League. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see him take home MVP honors, as he’s actually considered among the favorites to capture the honor. He’s only going to help his case out if he puts on a show at the All-Star Game.
Acuna is an easy guy to root for as well. He suffered his torn ACL in 2021, which prevented him from making a difference for the Braves. Now, though, Atlanta holds strong MLB betting odds to win the World Series and Acuna is a major reason why. If he can keep up his strong play, then there’s no doubt this team will be able to make a lot of noise once the postseason arrives. First, he’ll look to ball out during All-Star Weekend. Atlanta supporters can’t wait to see what he can do in Seattle.
