Teams looking to get the early upper hand in the National League East square off in a season-opening matchup when the Atlanta Braves face the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. This game was originally scheduled for Opening Day on Thursday but was pushed back a day to due to the weather forecast. The Braves (104-58 in 2023) have won the last six division titles. The Phillies (90-72 in 2023), who have finished second or third in each of the last four seasons, have won 80 or more games every full season since 2018. Atlanta won nine of the last 14 regular-season meetings between the teams, but Philadelphia has knocked the Braves out of the NLDS the past two seasons.
The game is slated to begin at 3:05 p.m. ET. The Braves hit .276 as a team last year, the best in MLB, while the Phillies had a .256 average, ninth-best. Atlanta is the -126 favorite (risk $126 to win $100) on the money line in the latest Braves vs. Phillies odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total runs scored is 7. Before making any Phillies vs. Braves picks, be sure to see the MLB predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer simulation model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times. It is coming off a profitable 93-74 season on top-rated MLB picks, and it excelled on top-rated run-line picks, going 18-6 (+766). Anybody following has seen big returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Braves vs. Phillies and just locked in its picks and MLB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are several MLB odds and betting lines for Braves vs. Phillies:
- Braves vs. Phillies money line: Atlanta -126, Philadelphia +106
- Braves vs. Phillies over/under: 7.5 runs
- Braves vs. Phillies run line: Atlanta -1.5 (+139)
- ATL: The Braves have hit the money line in 52 of their last 83 away games (+4.95 units)
- PHIL: The Phillies have hit the money line in 73 of their last 118 games (+13.30 units)
- Braves vs. Phillies picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back the Braves
Spencer Strider, one of the preseason Cy Young favorites, will start for Atlanta and he's backed by an offense coming off a historic year. Second-year player Michael Harris was a key part of that Atlanta offense a season ago. The center fielder hit .293 with 33 doubles, three triples, 18 homers and 57 RBI. He also swiped 20 bases and finished the regular season on a five-game hitting streak. In 14 games against the Phillies last season, he hit .255 with three doubles, three homers and seven RBI.
First baseman Matt Olson supplies the power for the Braves. In his third season with Atlanta and ninth overall, the former Oakland Athletic hit a career-high 54 homers last year, while driving in 139. He has been durable, and has played in 162 games in each of his two seasons with the Braves. In 14 regular-season games against Philadelphia in 2023, he hit .271 with one double, six homers and 15 RBI. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back the Phillies
Philadelphia will counter with right-hander Zack Wheeler. In 32 games, all starts in 2023, Wheeler went 13-6 with a 3.61 ERA. In 192 innings, he allowed just 77 earned runs, while walking 39 and striking out 212. In his first four seasons with Philadelphia, he has gone 43-25. He pitched well against the Braves last season, posting a 2-0 record in three starts. In 19 innings, he allowed 13 hits and seven earned runs, while walking six and striking out 21.
Among the Phillies' key offensive performers is first baseman Bryce Harper. A year ago, he played in 126 games as he was limited by injury and batted .293 with 29 doubles, one triple, 21 homers and 72 RBI. In 14 games against the Braves in 2023, he hit .244 with five homers and nine RBI. He has blistered Atlanta in the postseason, however. In 29 career playoff at-bats against the Braves, he is batting .483 with three doubles, five homers and 10 RBI. See which team to pick here.
How to make Braves vs. Phillies picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 10.8 combined runs. It also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only get the model's MLB picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Braves vs. Phillies, and which side has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side you need to jump on, all from the model that went 18-6 on top-rated MLB run-line picks last season, and find out.
