The Atlanta Braves (50-27, 24-15 home) open a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins (40-39, 17-20 away) beginning on Monday night in the Peach State. These two interleague foes haven’t faced each other since 2019 and the Twins haven’t played in Atlanta since 2016.
Monday’s first pitch is at 7:20 p.m. EST inside Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta is the betting favorite (-210 moneyline) and the over/under total is 8.5 runs.
What to Know – Minnesota Twins
Minnesota’s nine-game road trip continues with a stop in Atlanta after a three-game series against Detroit over the weekend. The Twins took two of three from the Tigers and have won four of their last five games. Minnesota owns a two-game edge over the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central.
Veteran right-hander Sonny Gray (4-1, 2.56 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) takes the ball for the Twins. The 33-year-old looks to close out the month of June by capturing his first victory this month. For the year, Gray has pitched 81.0 innings, allowing 23 earned runs on 73 hits and 32 walks while striking out 84 batters.
Offensively, the Twins are 24th in the majors batting .232 as a team while averaging 4.3 runs per game. Minnesota’s pitching staff ranks third in the MLB with a 3.66 team earned run average.
What Minnesota lacks in team batting average they make up for in clutch hitting. Carlos Correa is leading all Twins players eligible with a .216 batting average and team-high 37 runs driven in. Byron Buxton leads Minnesota with 13 home runs and adds 27 RBIs.
What to Know – Atlanta Braves
The Braves continue to roll as the first half of the season comes to a close. Atlanta has won ten of its last 11 games and sits comfortably in first place in the NL East with a six-game advantage over the Miami Marlins.
Atlanta turns to Spencer Strider (8-2, 3.93 ERA, 1.15 WHIP) in the series opener. The righty hasn’t pitched his best this month, sporting a 6.86 ERA over four starts, but is 3-0 in those outings. The 24-year-old has logged 84.2 innings on the hill, surrendering 37 earned runs, 67 hits, 30 walks, and 136 strikeouts.
The Braves offense is the best in the NL and second in the majors hitting .271 as a squad and scoring 5.6 runs per contest. The pitching staff for Atlanta ranks ninth in the MLB featuring a 3.85 team ERA.
Leadoff hitter Ronald Acuna Jr. is second in the MLB, showcasing a .328 batting average with 16 home runs, 47 RBIs, and a team-best 67 runs scored. Matt Olson paces the Braves with 25 home runs and 60 RBIs.
The Pick is In
The pitching matchup in the opener should yield few runs between these two offenses. Atlanta has a distinct advantage with their offensive lineup, but we like the visitors to stay within striking distance as these two starters go head-to-head.
The Pick: Minnesota Twins +1.5
