D’Backs vs Braves Betting Preview: Time to Fade Arizona?

The Arizona Diamondbacks are fading fast, going from first place in the National League West to possibly out of the Wild Card. Losers of four straight, the Diamondbacks now must try and right their fortunes against, of all teams, the first-place Atlanta Braves.

The three-game series is scheduled to begin Tuesday at Chase Field. Atlanta is -1.5 (-110) on the run line and a -200 favorite to win outright in the opener, with Arizona priced at +170. The projected total has moved from 9.5 to 10.5, with the Under (-105/-115) getting slightly more juice.

Read on as we break down the odds in our D’Backs vs Braves betting preview.

Arizona Hits the Skids

The Arizona Diamondbacks have lost four straight and eight of 10 to drop into third place in their division, 2.0 games behind the NL West-leading Dodgers. At 52-42, the Diamondbacks are clinging to the third and final Wild Card spot, a half-game ahead of the Phillies.

As such, Arizona’s playoff odds have dropped to -130. The Diamondbacks are also now +600 to win the division, down from +325 at the end of June.

The Diamondbacks scored just nine runs in their three-game sweep against Toronto and are averaging just 2.9 runs over their last 10 contests. First baseman Christian Walker is 0-for-11 since the All-Star break, while outfielder Corbin Carroll (2-of-12) and second baseman Ketel Marte (2-for-11) have also struggled. Remember that when assessing the odds in our D’Backs vs Braves betting preview.

Despite his recent slump, Carroll, who is hitting .284 with 18 homers, 48 RBI, and 26 stolen bases, is still a -300 frontrunner for NL Rookie of the Year. Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (+225) is the only other candidate with better than 30/1 odds.

Braves Stay Hot

The Atlanta Braves continue to bludgeon opposing pitchers, transforming Truist Park into one of the most hitter-friendly baseball fields. Atlanta still leads MLB in home runs (173) and ranks second in average (.270) and third in runs (514).

Seven different Braves have slugged at least 15 homers, led by first baseman Matt Olson. Olson ranks second in baseball with 30 long balls, trailing only Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (34). He’s also second in RBI (77), while second baseman Ozzie Albies is fifth (66).

Atlanta is now a +150 favorite in the NL, as well as a +350 World Series favorite. The Dodgers and Rays share the next-best championship odds at +600.

Odds Outlook

Arizona has emerged as one of the most profitable teams for bettors, going 52-42 against the run line. Its 55.3% cover rate is the sixth-highest in MLB. Atlanta is a tick behind at 47-45 ATS, including 25-19 on the road. Keep that in mind when making your MLB score predictions.

The 24-year-old Elder has enjoyed a breakout season with Atlanta. He ranks 12th in MLB with a 2.97 ERA and has gone at least six innings in eight of his last 10 starts. Arizona will counter with Davies, who is 1-5 with a 6.37 ERA. Control (24 walks in 53.2 innings) has been an issue for Davies.

Morton is tied for second in baseball with 10 wins and has allowed only one run (0.47) in three starts this month. The 39-year-old right-hander was charged with three runs in seven innings in a 3-2 loss to Arizona on June 2. His counterpart, Nelson, is 5-5 with a 4.98 ERA.

This is easily the most anticipated pitching matchup in our D’Backs vs Braves betting preview and with good reason. Strider is tied with three others, including Gallen, for the MLB lead in wins (11) and is also first with 176 strikeouts. He gave up two runs over six innings in a 5-2 win over Arizona on June 3.

Gallen has been practically just as good, registering a 3.14 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 130 strikeouts. As such, both Gallen and Strider are +225 favorites for NL Cy Young. Notably, Gallen held Atlanta to three runs (two earned) over six innings in an 8-5 loss on June 4.

For Major League Baseball odds, betting news, analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads.

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