There’s nothing left to decide in the NL East, but you can always count on the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves wanting to beat each other.
Braves Battle Rival Mets
There’s nothing left to decide in the NL East, but you can always count on the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves wanting to beat each other. The Mets took the first game of a three-game series 4-3 on Friday night, and the two teams will play again in front of a national audience on Saturday night.
Of course, while the Mets are just playing out their season, the Braves are prepping for the postseason, which for them will begin next week.
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Betting Odds & Betting Lines
According to BetUS, the Braves are home favorites in this game with a -121 moneyline, while the Mets have a moneyline of +111. BetOnline is offering the exact same betting odds on this game, with both sportsbooks viewing this as a virtual toss-up. As for those interested in totals betting, there is also an over/under of 8.5 total runs being scored.
How It Ended
The latter part of the season couldn’t have been more disappointing for the Mets, who spent a majority of the season in the first place but will finish with a losing record. The Mets failed to capitalize on an easy schedule early in September and then endured a 1-10 stretch that ended any hope of the postseason. Alas, they have responded with four wins in their last five games, even if it’s too little, too late.
Meanwhile, the Braves had won six in a row before falling to the Mets on Friday night. With their win over the Phillies on Thursday, Atlanta completed a sweep of the Phils and officially clinched the NL East crown for the fourth straight year. The Braves will wrap up the season with two more home games against the Mets before beginning the NLDS next week against the Brewers.
Bullpen Game
As the Braves try to organize their rotation for the playoffs next week, Saturday’s game looks like it’ll be a bullpen game for Atlanta. Veteran Jesse Chavez will make his fourth start of the season, although he will likely serve as just the opener. Chavez has a 2.27 ERA on the season but is unlikely to last beyond the second inning, leaving the Atlanta bullpen with a lot of innings to cover.
Of course, the Mets haven’t been the most reliable offensive team this season, so facing a different pitcher every inning could keep them under wraps. They’ve been held to three runs or less in five of their last ten games, being prone to minimal offensive outputs all year. That being said, Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Michael Conforto are all raging hot at the end of the season.
One Last Start
It’s been an unusual year for Carlos Carrasco, who will make his 12th and final start of the season on Saturday. Injuries kept him out until late in the season, and ever since his return; it’s been a struggle for the 34-year-old, who is 1-4 with a 5.74 ERA. Carrasco was better in September, allowing two runs or less in three of his last four starts, although he’s still not at the level the Mets expected.
Perhaps the biggest question on Saturday is what lineup will the Braves put on the field. Naturally, many of their regulars were rested on Friday after the team clinched on Thursday. It’s possible that Freddie Freeman will return to the lineup, although Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies, who played on Friday, could receive a day of rest on Saturday as well.
Coasting to a Loss
The Braves can now coast through the rest of the MLB regular season now that they’ve won the NL East. Of course, that also makes them a bad bet since players will be rested, and the bullpen will be used for all nine innings on Saturday. With that in mind, bet on the Mets to win again on Saturday.
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