Atlanta Braves vs Boston Red Sox Betting Picks

Chris Sale is the correct pitcher to have on the mound for Atlanta to bounce back from Wednesday's 8-0 loss. Sale is 7-3 with a 1.89 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP. He comes off a 9-1 victory over Miami last Wednesday when he allowed a run on four hits in seven innings. Sale has given up two earned runs or fewer in all but one game this season. Boston has lost four of its last five and sits in last place in the AL East. The Red Sox are 9-18 at home, and Atlanta is 20-9 on the road. Boston has gone UNDER seven of eight Thursday games. Payton Tolle is 2-2 with a 0.82 WHIP for Boston. Six of the past eight meetings have gone UNDER. Take the Braves and the UNDER.

Not sounding any alarms, but Atlanta has lost two consecutive games. Those losses came at home to the Nationals, 2-0 and 2-1. Washington ranks 29th in quality starts. Boston is a disappointing 22-30, but the Red Sox have their best starter going today in Ranger Suarez. He has a 2.40 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. The former Philly has a career 3.38 ERA vs. Atlanta in 22 appearances. Suarez has been extremely efficient, allowing three earned runs or fewer in seven of his nine starts this season. Atlanta starter Spencer Strider will be making his fifth start this season on the comeback trail from elbow surgery and then an oblique injury that took him out for the first month. Strider has looked good so far with a 3.00 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. However, he surrendered three home runs to the Marlins during his last start. He will have to deal with Wilson Contreras, who has 11 homers and an .899 OPS, which ranks sixth in the majors. Take the Red Sox. 

Boston is on a 3-5 run, scoring 17 runs. The offense is 28th in runs scored, 24th in on-base percentage, and 29th in slugging. Batters are hitting .315 off starter Brayan Bello (6.46 ERA), who has a 7.11 ERA on the road. His losses on the road have been by scores of 9-2, 10-3, and 8-1. Atlanta has the best record in the majors, with an offense that is second in runs, seventh in on-base percentage, and No. 1 in slugging. Grant Holmes is holding batters to a .213 average, with the Braves winning his last four starts, 5-2, 8-6, 5-3, and 4-2. They're 6-2 in his eight starts, with all of the victories by more than one run. The Atlanta bullpen is second in the majors (3.04 ERA), so back home field in a one-sided game. Play Atlanta. 

The Red Sox just finished a homestand, going 2-6, scoring 14 runs. The offense is 27th in runs scored, 21st in on-base percentage, and 29th in slugging. Payton Tolle has thrown 39 innings in the big leagues, with the Red Sox 1-6 in his seven starts. Atlanta has the best record in the majors, with an offense that is No. 1 in runs and slugging, plus seventh in on-base percentage. Bryce Elder (1.81 ERA) is holding batters to a .180 average with 53 Ks in 54+ innings. The Atlanta bullpen is No. 1 (3.06 ERA) and will have no trouble shutting down the punchless visitors. Play Atlanta.