The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies continue their NLDS matchup on Monday at 6:07 p.m. ET, and the home team will be looking to avoid disaster. Atlanta, after finishing the regular season with the best record and the most runs scored in MLB, laid an egg in Game 1 with Spencer Strider on the mound and lost, 3-0.
The Braves likely need to win Game 2 at home to have any chance in this series, but we’re not targeting the NL East champs in either of our best bets for Monday night.
Over 8 (-112 DraftKings)
We were on the under in Game 1 of this series, and it cashed easily thanks to some brilliant work from Philadelphia’s bullpen. Game 2 should play out much differently.
Both lineups are familiar with the starting pitcher on the other side. Max Fried has faced the Phillies 20 times in his career. The left-hander is 4-5 with a 3.90 ERA in those games, and he surrendered six runs (four earned) in 3.1 innings against Philly in the NLDS last year. Fried is also dealing with a blister on his throwing hand, so he won’t be operating at 100 percent in Game 2.
Zack Wheeler is 12-8 with a 3.22 ERA in 28 career appearances against the Braves, and he’s given up seven earned runs over his last 11 innings pitched against Atlanta. Don’t expect this high-powered offense to flop for a second game in a row, especially against a starting pitcher these hitters know inside and out.
Trea Turner to record a stolen base (+460 FanDuel)
Trea Turner is on a historic run (no pun intended) on the base paths.
The Phillies shortstop went 30-for-30 in stolen base attempts in the regular season, and he hasn’t been thrown out in 40 straight postseason attempts. Turner has also amped up his aggressiveness on the bases since the playoffs started, as he’s stolen four bases over Philadelphia’s first three postseason games this year.
Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that Turner has hit safely in seven straight games, or that he’s batting .400 in 35 career at-bats against Fried.