Aug 31, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Weston Wilson (37) reacts after sliding safely into home against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
- NL East rivals meet on Sunday Night Baseball as the Braves visit the Phillies
- Promising Atlanta rookie Spencer Schwellenbach faces Philly veteran Aaron Nola on the mound
- See the Atlanta Braves vs Philadelphia Phillies odds, predictions, and best player props on Sep. 1
The top-two teams in the NL East meet on Sunday Night Baseball this week as the Atlanta Braves (74-62, 38-34 away) visit the Philadelphia Phillies (80-56, 46-25 home) in the finale of a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park.
After winning two of the first three games, including a 3-0 shutout last night, the Phillies stretched their lead atop the division back to six games. Saturday’s loss, meanwhile, left Atlanta just two games up on the New York Mets for the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League with just 26 games left in the regular season.
On Sunday, the Phillies are not-insignificant home favorites as they send number-two starter Aaron Nola to the hill opposite Atlanta rookie Spencer Schwellenbach.
Atlanta Braves vs Philadelphia Phillies Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | +120 | +1.5 (-180) | O 8.0 (-112) |
| Philadelphia Phillies | -140 | -1.5 (+150) | U 8.0 (-108) |
Philadelphia is currently sitting at -140 on the moneyline with the Braves listed as +120 underdogs to earn a split of the pivotal four-game series. The over/under run total is at 8.0 with the over slightly favored at -112.
Odds as of Sep. 1 at DraftKings. Check out the full list of DraftKings legal states.
The Phillies (+600) remain the third-favorite in the 2024 World Series odds behind the league-leading Los Angeles Dodgers (+320) and the AL-leading New York Yankees (+550).
Spencer Schwellenbach vs Aaron Nola
| 5-6 | Record | 12-6 |
| 3.72 | ERA | 3.30 |
| 3.04 | xERA | 3.87 |
| 1.07 | WHIP | 1.16 |
| 28.7% | K% | 22.6% |
Hard-throwing Schwellenbach, whose four-seamer averages 96.1 mph, has been a huge boon to an injury-riddled Atlanta rotation. With ace Spencer Strider out for the season, Schwellenbach has given manager Brian Snitker a viable fifth starter. While he doesn’t qualify for any leaderboards because he’s only made 15 starts, he has the second-best WHIP (1.07) among Atlanta’s starting rotation, trailing only Chris Sale (1.02), who also happens to be the heavy favorite in the NL Cy Young odds.
He was far from perfect last time out against the Twins, but somehow managed to pitch 4.2 shutout innings while surrendering five hits and three walks over 106 pitches.
He’s already faced the Phillies twice this year, and was solid both times out. Back in early July, he allowed one run on seven hits over 6.0 innings with six strikeouts in a 5-1 victory. On August 22, he went 6.2 innings, surrendering two runs on three hits and a walk with nine Ks (his second-highest total in the bigs) in a 3-2 win.
Nola has already faced the Braves three times this season with mixed results. He was hammered in his first start of the year, giving up seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits and a walk over 4.1 innings in a 12-4 loss. The more-recent starts were better. He went 6.0 innings in early July, allowing three runs on five hits and no walk with eight Ks in an 8-6 win. Two weeks ago, he lasted 5.1 innings, giving up two runs on eight hits and two walks with just five strikeouts in a 3-2 victory.
The longtime Philly has an absolutely massive history against the Braves lineup. In 303 total ABs, the current Atlanta hitters have a .238/.274/.429 slashline with 16 doubles, 14 home runs, and 91 Ks. Marcell Ozuna is only 15-for-63 (.238 average) but four of his 15 hits have been longballs. That includes a three-run shot back on July 5.
Braves vs Phillies Predictions
The Braves are still battling to get healthy (Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley remain sidelined) and just aren’t the same team they were last year, when they mashed a record-tying 307 home runs. After a string of seven consecutive games in which they were held to four runs or fewer (2.71 RPG average), the offense looked to be getting back on track over its last five, mashing 6.8 runs per game until last night’s shutout loss broke that trend.
I don’t expect Nola to be perfect against a lineup that knows him all too well, but after over 130 lackluster games, the Atlanta lineup doesn’t scare me nearly as much as it used to.
With the Phillies’ own hitters now holding a modicum of familiarity with Schwellenbach, I expect the rookie to get touched up by the best home team in the league.
ATL vs PHI Picks:
- Phillies moneyline (-142)
- Schwellenbach under 6.5 Ks (-115)
Sascha has been working in the sports-betting industry since 2014, and quickly paired his strong writing skills with a burgeoning knowledge of probability and statistics. He holds an undergraduate degree in linguistics and a Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia.
Sunday Night Baseball will feature a thrilling matchup between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies. Both teams are coming off strong performances in their previous games, making this game a must-watch for baseball fans.
The odds for this game are currently in favor of the Braves, with a -150 moneyline. The Phillies are the underdogs with a +130 moneyline. The over/under for total runs scored is set at 9.5, indicating that oddsmakers are expecting a high-scoring game.
When it comes to player props, there are several standout players to keep an eye on. For the Braves, outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. has been on fire recently and is a strong candidate to hit a home run in this game. On the pitching side, Max Fried is expected to have a solid performance on the mound for Atlanta.
On the Phillies side, Bryce Harper is always a threat at the plate and could be a player to watch for hitting a home run. Pitcher Zack Wheeler has been consistent this season and is likely to put up a strong performance against the Braves lineup.
In terms of predictions, this game has the potential to be a close one. Both teams have strong lineups and solid pitching staffs, making it difficult to predict the outcome. However, with the odds in favor of the Braves and their recent success, they may have the edge in this matchup.
Overall, Sunday Night Baseball between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies is shaping up to be an exciting game with plenty of action on both sides. Fans can expect a competitive matchup with potential for big plays and standout performances from key players. Be sure to tune in and catch all the action as these two teams battle it out on the diamond.
