Nationals vs Braves Picks & Odds (Sep. 21)
- The Nationals vs Braves odds favor Atlanta as -265 moneyline favorites on Wednesday at 12:20 pm ET
- Washington will give the ball to Paolo Espino (0-7, 4.24 ERA), while Atlanta will counter with Bryce Elder (1-3, 3.67 ERA)
- Read below for the Nationals vs Braves odds and betting prediction
The Atlanta Braves (92-55, 51-25 home) are neck and neck with the New York Mets for the NL East crown with less than 15 games to go. The two National League contenders will play three times over the final six days of the season, but before then Atlanta has five more games against the lowly Washington Nationals (51-96, 27-46 away) to take advantage of.
The Braves took Game 1 of their three-game set with the Nats on Monday, and oddsmakers are expecting another victory on Wednesday in the series finale.
Nationals vs Braves Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Nationals | +225 | +1.5 (+105) | Ov 8.5 (-120) |
| Atlanta Braves | -265 | -1.5 (-125) | Un 8.5 (+100) |
Odds as of September 20 at FanDuel Sportsbook. Claim the FanDuel Sportsbook promo code.
The Braves opened up as -265 moneyline favorites, in a contest that features a total of 8.5. First pitch is scheduled for 12:20 pm ET at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, with sunshine and 83 degree game time temperatures in the forecast.
Washington vs Atlanta Probable Pitchers
Atlanta, the reigning champs and a top-five World Series odds contender, will give the ball to Bryce Elder. Ace Max Fried was supposed to toe the rubber, but the Braves elected to push him back a day to face a much more potent Phillies lineup.
Not to be outdone, Elder has pitched very well in his past two starts. He’s fresh off blanking Miami over 6 innings, yielding only two hits while striking out six. He’s allowed just five hits and one run total over his past 13 innings, with a 16-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
The rookie has made one career start versus Washington, throwing 5.2 innings of three run ball back on April 12th. That was back before the Nats traded away the bulk of their talent, and the lineup he’ll face on Wednesday will be far less imposing.
Espino vs Elder Stats
| 0-7 | Record | 1-3 |
| 4.24 | ERA | 3.67 |
| 1.32 | WHIP | 1.37 |
| .282 | OBA | .224 |
| 4.3 | SO/W Ratio | 1.6 |
Washington will counter with the winless Paolo Espino. The 35-year-old has split his time between the bullpen and the starting rotation this season, losing all seven of his decisions.
He’s made three appearances against Atlanta in 2022, including two starts, and the results have been not positive. Espino has surrendered 16 hits and nine runs to the Braves over 12.1 innings, while yielding three homers and a .302 opponent batting average. Current Braves hitters are batting .280 off him over 75 career at-bats, with an .860 OPS.
Nationals vs Braves Betting Trends
The Braves entered play on Tuesday having won four straight overall, and nine in a row at home. They’ve outscored the opposition 39-12 at Truist Park during their recent home dominance, and own the second best winnings percentage in their park in the NL (.671).
Austin Riley, a longshot NL MVP odds candidate, blasted his 37th home run on Monday and has absolutely raked against the Nats this season. Riley has a .789 slugging percentage and 1.199 OPS versus Washington pitching, with eight homers and 16 RBI.
Austin Riley flies solo ✈️ pic.twitter.com/gJOLVpnvXb
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) September 19, 2022
Riley isn’t the only Atlanta hitter with strong numbers against the Nats. The Braves have a .286/.358/.527 slash line versus Washington pitching in 2022, their best mark against any opponent with a minimum of five matchups.
As for the Nats lineup, let’s just say runs have been hard to come by, especially versus Atlanta. Washington has scored three or fewer times in four of its past six, while the Nats are averaging only 3.5 runs in their last 13 meetings with the Braves.
Washington has dropped nine of its last 12 overall, and are 3-11 against Atlanta entering play on Tuesday evening.
WAS vs ATL Last 10 Meetings
| Date | Away Team | Home Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/19/22 | Nationals | Braves | ATL, 5-2 |
| 9/13/22 | Braves | Nationals | WAS, 7-3 |
| 9/12/22 | Braves | Nationals | ATL, 6-3 |
| 9/11/22 | Braves | Nationals | ATL, 8-4 |
| 9/10/22 | Braves | Nationals | ATL, 5-4 |
| 5/27/22 | Nationals | Braves | ATL, 4-3 |
| 5/26/22 | Nationals | Braves | ATL, 12-2 |
| 5/25/22 | Nationals | Braves | ATL, 8-2 |
| 5/17/22 | Braves | Nationals | ATL, 10-4 |
| 5/17/22 | Braves | Nationals | ATL, 9-5 |
Nationals vs Braves Pick
The last 10 meetings between these two have not been particularly close. Atlanta has outscored their division rival by 34 runs. The Braves lineup is humming, slashing .267/.332/.457 over the past month, and Espino isn’t build to slow them down.
Atlanta has crossed the plate at least six times in six of its past 10 meetings versus Washington, and I’m betting on them to reach at least that number again on Wednesday.
Pick: Atlanta Braves Over 5.5 Runs (+105)
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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.
