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• New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves
• Friday, August 11 at 7pm ET
• Citi Field in Queens, New York
When it comes to rivalies in the National League, few are more historic than the one between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves. Whenever these two teams face off, there’s always going to be a ton of drama and intrigue. This weekend, more of the same is on the way, as the powerhouses will face off in what should be a fun series. With that said, the Braves are favored to take down the Mets on Friday night in Queens. Will Atlanta get the job done?
It really has been a bit of a surprise for these squads, as they have gone in different directions. The expectation was that both these teams would make the playoffs and then go on a deep run. That hasn’t been the case for the Mets, as they’re currently 10 games under .500 and it feels almost like a lock that they won’t be able to turn things around and make the postseason. No one saw this coming.
| Braves vs. Mets odds |  |  |  |  |
| Braves to win | -115 | -115 | -115 | -115 |
| Mets to win | +125 | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Over to hit | -110 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Under to hit | -110 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
The same can’t be said for the Braves, as their MLB betting odds to win it all this year have gone through the roof. With so much young talent in their lineup and pitching staff, Atlanta is arguably the best team in the bigs right now. They have a tremendous shot of winning the World Series this year too. Moving forward, they will 100 percent be a team to keep a close eye on, as fans have huge expectations.
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, the Braves hold -115 MLB betting odds to take down the Mets at Citi Field. New York, the home team, holds +125 odds. With how much the Mets have struggled this year, and how hot the Braves are, we think it will be too tall of a task for NY to post a victory. With all of that said, we’re going with the Braves as our pick to win.
BLAST OFF 🚀@mattolson21 | @Delta #ForTheA pic.twitter.com/mT2ksWNX39
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 6, 2023
The over should hit between the Braves and Mets in this one
In terms of what to expect on offense, the over should hit between the Braves and Mets in this one. While it has been a disappointing year for the Mets, don’t forget that their roster has a ton of young stars. Things are of course highlighted by Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso. These two, when on fire, are two of the best players in the division. Unfortunately, they’ve dealt with some consistency issues this year.
However, Alonso and Lindor are a threat to leave the yard whenever they’re at the dish. Alonso has dealt with some injury concerns this year, but the good news is that he’s back in action and ready to make an impact for this team. Lindor has said time and time again that he loves the organization and that he wants to do everything in his power to help the Mets get back to a high level down the road.
OBP Leaders since the All-Star Break 📊
1. James Outman – .519
2. Freddie Freeman – .505
3. Shohei Ohtani – .495
4. Ha-Seong Kim – .490
5. Ronald Acuña Jr. – .474 pic.twitter.com/3oOo7ohowj— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 8, 2023
With the Braves, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Ronald Acuña Jr. and others have been sensational this campaign. Acuña, who we’ll have more on below, is in the middle of the best season of his career. Olson was brought in to replace Freddie Freeman at first base and he has more than lived up to the hype from the moment he arrived in Atlanta. The Braves will be ready to record plenty of runs throughout this series vs. New York.
According to the oddsmakers, the over/under has been at 6.5 runs, which is a bit of a surprise. From our chair, we’re having a hard time believing that these two squads will not combine for at least seven runs. Both New York and Atlanta have the potential to make things quite electric from an offensive standpoint. With that said, we’re definitely going with the over as our pick for this particular showdown.
Braves fans keep dreaming of a trip to the World Series
With the way their favorite team has been playing, it’s easy to see why Braves fans keep dreaming of a trip to the World Series. The Braves are currently 30 games over .500 and without question the hottest team in the bigs. Atlanta has everything on its side to go on a deep postseason run.
There is not only young talent for the NL power, but also a ton of veteran experience too. It’s really going to come down to if this club can stay healthy once the postseason arrives. Matter of fact, it’s imperative they stay close to 100 percent the rest of the regular season. Per the oddsmakers, the Braves hold +300 World Series betting odds. It won’t be a simple task, but don’t be shocked to see Atlanta get this done.
In order for that to happen, Acuña, Olson, Albies and Austin Riley are going to need to keep playing at a high level. Manager Brian Snitker has a strong belief in his guys. Soon enough, the postseason will arrive and this group will be in a position to prove all of their doubters wrong.
