Yankees vs Braves Odds, Picks, and Probable Pitchers (August 23)

• The sizzling Atlanta Braves are home favorites over the equally hot New York Yankees on Monday night
• The Braves send Huascar Ynoa (4-2, 2.70) to the mound to face Jordan Montgomery (4-5, 3.77)
• The odds and pitching matchups can be found below with a prediction

The Atlanta Braves — winners of nine straight — try to maintain  their perch atop the National League East standings against the similarly streaking New York Yankees at 7:20pm ET Monday in the opener of a two-game series at Truist Park.

Atlanta comes into the potential World Series preview as one of the hottest teams in baseball. Meantime, New York has been equally as hot, winning nine straight before having Sunday’s game against the Twins postponed. With Huascar Ynoa getting the start Monday, the Braves are favorites.

Yankees vs Braves Odds

Odds as of August 22nd at DraftKings.

The Braves opened as -150 favorites on the money line and have seen their odds slightly shorten heading into first pitch.

Probable Pitchers

On the mound, Atlanta’s Huascar Ynoa (4-2, 2.70) faces Jordan Montgomery (4-5, 3.77).

Only eight of Montgomery’s 22 starts this season have been of the quality vintage — with none of those coming since July 16th. But the Yankees are 3-0 in Montgomery’s last three starts.

The 6-foot-6 lefty has a 2.45 ERA in that timeframe. In fact, the southpaw has not allowed more than three earned runs since June 15th, a stretch of nine straight starts. Montgomery’s only bugaboo has been stamina — he’s only surpassed the 100-pitch mark twice over that stretch, the only two times he’s done that all season.

Montgomery vs Ynoa Key Stats

The 28-year-old only went 4.2 innings against Boston in the first half of a doubleheader, allowing five hits, three earned runs and two walks while striking out six as New York beat its archrival 5-3.

Montgomery is 2-2 with a 4.14 ERA in 12 road starts this season. In 13 night game starts, he has a 4-2 record and 2,91 ERA.

Jordan Montgomery: “We're playing good baseball. I'm glad I could come back and not mess this up.”#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/nQNYd9yZFV

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 17, 2021

As for Ynoa, the 23-year-old has been lights out this season. He missed three months after punching the dugout bench in frustration May 15th following a turn against the Brewers that saw him go only 4.1 innings and allow nine hits, five earned runs and two walks while striking out six.

But prior to that youthful indiscretion, Ynoa had four quality starts in six outings. In his most recent outing Tuesday against the Marlins, he went 5.1 innings, allowing three hits, no earned runs and one walk while striking out four.

Ynoa is 3-0 with a 1.54 ERA in four starts at home in 2021. He’s 4-0 with a 0.89 ERA in seven night game starts.

Huascar Ynoa’s lesson learned and impressive return to #Braves rotation: pic.twitter.com/HFTp0Ym7JH

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) August 18, 2021

Hot, Hot, Hot

The home team features a dangerous lineup. Reigning NL MVP Freddie Freeman had four hits Wednesday to raise his batting average above .300 for the first time this season.

Meantime, Jorge Soler has gone deep in two of the last three games. It’s been a different hero every night for the Bravos, who come into Monday’s game with a five-game lead over the Phillies in the NL East.

Jorge Soler is cementing himself as the best trade deadline acquisition 👏🏼

Soler is raking with the Bravespic.twitter.com/Q8nRbbG3VG

— Kevin Keneely (@KevinKeneely1) August 22, 2021

One player to keep an eye on is Ozzie Albies. He’s never faced Montgomery and is hitting only .250 (10-for-40) over the nine-game streak. But four of those 10 hits have been for extra bases (double, triple, two home runs) and he has 22 dingers on the season.

Batting Average vs Starting Pitchers

With Ynoa’s lack of Major League experience (he’s only tossed 74.2 career innings over since his big league debut in 2019), the Yankees don’t have a ton of ABs against him.

But, DJ LeMahieu, Anthony Rizzo, Gary Sanchez and Luke Voit are a combined 4-for-9 (.444) against him with a double and a home run.

The Yankees have been similar to the Braves over the last week-plus in getting contributions from multiple players. But if Aaron Boone’s club is going to get to Ynoa, it will likely have to be with batters who have not faced him.

Yankees vs Braves Pick

Ynoa’s splits in this spot are downright microscopic. Each team’s formidable lineups cancel each other out. With those two factors being the headliners here, the under seems to be the best bet.

The Pick: Under 9 (-120)