Two playoff caliber teams will partake in the meat of a three-game set on Saturday afternoon with a nationally televised audience watching their every move. The San Diego Padres have gotten out to a solid start to their 2022 campaign. Manny Machado has taken full advantage of Fernando Tatis Jr.’s absence to become the running +450 favorite to take home the NL MVP Award at online sportsbooks. The story hasn’t quite been the same for the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves who are no longer the odds-on favorite to even take home NL East bragging rights. That being said, Brian Snitker’s troops have slowly but surely started turning things around with Ronald Acuna Jr. back in the starting lineup. With the offense thriving against left-handed pitching in averaging 5.4 runs per game, I got the homebased Braves putting some runs on the board. But will it be enough to earn a struggling Charlie Morton a second straight win?
First pitch for the non-divisional NL throw down between the San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves is scheduled for Saturday, May 14, 2022. Take it in live on FS1 at 4:05 p.m. ET from Truist Park. Bet on MLB odds and player props at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
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Odds Analysis
The Friars check in as the fourth most lucrative bet in the game winning 20 of 31 games to make MLB bettors upwards of $450 overall. It sports winning records both at home 10-6, $174 and on the road 9-5, $181 and could be gunning for a fifth straight series win dependent upon how the finale with the Chicago Cubs plays out Wednesday afternoon. The squad is definitively in a groove right now! The Braves on the other hand currently sit three games under the breakeven point which finds them rated out as the eighth worst bet in the game -$539 ahead of the Cubs and in back of the Marlins. While a losing mark on the road isn’t the worst of things, sitting 8-9 as a host is unacceptable! Atlanta did however just take two of three at home against what was a scorching white hot Milwaukee Brewers outfit.
Probable Pitchers
Sean Manaea L: The south paw got out to a tremendous start for his new team logging a pair of wins while only conceding 10 hits and 3 ER through 19 combined innings of work. His three most recent starts against the Dodgers, Pirates, and Marlins haven’t been nearly as dominant in allowing 18 hits and 12 ER which amounted to taking a pair of losses and a no-decision. He did however manage a pair of quality starts in two of those outings and has been at his best on the road where he’s held opposing offenses to a .136 batting average and pitched to a 2.29 ERA. Even so, Atlanta’s offense figures to be a stern test.
Charlie Morton R: Unlike tonight’s pitching opponent, Morton has been extremely disappointing for the Braves when taking into account the one-year $20 million contract upper management inked him to in the offseason. They hardly envisioned him throwing to a 5.65 ERA and 1.64 WHIP through six starts when initially re-upping with the veteran. That being said, the right-hander looked to be his vintage self last time out after tossing five innings of shutout ball at Milwaukee to help lead the team to the commanding 9-2 win over the Brew Crew. Even so, he walked at least three batters for the fifth time in as many starts and once again failed to pitch through the sixth inning.
Padres vs. Braves Prediction
After dealing with a locked in Max Fried in the series opener, I fully expect Eric Hosmer and Co. to be chomping at the bit to get a piece of Morton whose 5.05 FIP lets it be known that his early season struggles aren’t just an anomaly. I think the righty’s on his last legs! He’s conceded three or more earned runs in each of his last five starts, and the Friars offense can turn on a struggling hurler in the blink of an eye. Hit the under of his total outs prop. It’s been awhile since Manaea strutted his stuff. I don’t foresee it happening in this spot. Not with the way Atlanta peppers left-handed pitching and Manaea getting ripped in day games for 8 ER and 10 hits through 10.1 total innings. Look for runs to hit the board early and often. Hit the over for the first five as well as the full game, and enjoy the show!
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