Mets vs Braves Picks and Odds – Aug 2
- The New York Mets are short favorites over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday (Aug. 2, 1:10 pm EST)
- David Peterson (1-0, 3.18 ERA) will start for New York, while Atlanta will send Kyle Wright (0-1, 16.88 ERA) to the mound
- Read below for a preview and betting prediction for the game
So far in 2020, the Atlanta Braves look exactly like the World Series contender everyone expected. Atlanta has won four straight, and sits atop the NL East standings with a 6-3 record. On Sunday, they’ll look to beat the visiting New York Mets for the fifth straight time in 2020, when the two teams square off at 1:10 pm EST.
Mets vs Braves Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Mets | -109 | N/A | Over 10.5 (-120) |
| Atlanta Braves | -101 | N/A | Under 10.5 (+100) |
Odds taken Aug. 1st.
Surprisingly, it’s not Atlanta but New York who opened as a small favorite in the Mets vs Braves odds. The game features a total of 10.5, a number the two teams have eclipsed twice in their first five meetings this season. After dropping the season opener in New York, the Braves have taken four straight from the Mets.
The Price Was Not Wright for Kyle
Coming into this season, Kyle Wright didn’t exactly have a sparkling resume. The 24-year-old had a 8.58 ERA in 11 career appearances, and was winless in his only four starts. It was more of the same for the right-hander in his first outing of 2020, as he was pulled after just 2.2 innings against Tampa Bay.
He surrendered five runs in that game, walking as many batters (3) as he struck out. Control has been a big problem for Wright at the big league level, as he’s averaging 0.78 walks/inning in his three-year career.
Mets Career Stats vs Wright
| Player | AB | H | HR | RBI | K | AVG. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Nimmo | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 |
| Pete Alonso | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Robinson Cano | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .333 |
| Yoenis Cespedes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Michael Conforto | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .667 |
| J.D. Davis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Amed Rosario | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Jeff McNeil | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .667 |
| Wilson Ramos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
The Mets don’t have a ton of experience against him, however those who have faced Wright have hit him hard. Brandon Nimmo, Robinson Cano, Michael Conforto and Jeff McNeil are a combined 7-for-11 against Wright, with two home runs, and seven RBI.
Atlanta’s Offense is Heating Up
Atlanta enters play Sunday with by far the best offense in the NL East. They lead the division in runs scored by a wide margin, and have crossed the plate at least seven times in three of their past four outings.
No mercy from Marcell Ozuna for former teammates 💪 pic.twitter.com/ewPLCox9GN
— FOX Sports: Braves (@FOXSportsBraves) August 1, 2020
Newcomer Marcell Ozuna has been better than advertised with three home runs already, and star outfield Ronald Acuna Jr. finally busted out his slump on Saturday.
RONALD ACUÑA JR. BREAKOUT GAME CONFIRMED pic.twitter.com/lq22Bvt1QP
— FOX Sports: Braves (@FOXSportsBraves) August 2, 2020
That spells trouble for New York starter David Peterson, who’s looking for his second win of the season, after beating Boston earlier this week. The rookie is only in the starting rotation because of injuries to Marcus Stroman and Noah Syndergaard, and doesn’t exactly possess electric stuff. His fastball tops out in the mid-low 90s and he averaged under 5 innings per starts in Double-A last year.
Braves Career Stats vs Peterson
| Player | AB | H | HR | RBI | K | AVG. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ronald Acuna | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Ozzie Albies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Freddy Freeman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Marcel Ozuna | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Matt Adams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Ender Inciarte | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Dansby Swanson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Austin Riley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Tyler Flowers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
With how well Atlanta is hitting currently, another short outing is likely in the cards for Peterson.
Back the Red-Hot Braves
In the likelihood that Peterson is pulled early, that only increases the Braves chances for success. New York’s bullpen ranks 23rd in the league in ERA, and its relievers have stranded a league low 57.2% of runners.
A 2-out base hit from @enderinciartem scores @LieutenantDans7!#Braves up 6-1!#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/aLWFhYNpDX
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 2, 2020
This Braves team meanwhile, is a legit title contender and now that their offense is firing on all cylinders, we can expect them to make up for any kind of sub-par effort from Wright if it happens.
Pick: Atlanta Braves moneyline (-101)
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
