Tuesday, October 6, 2020, Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas, 2:08 p.m. ET
Marlins at Braves Betting Preview: Marlins (+165), Braves (-195)
Miami Marlins
Say what you will about the Marlins — and many have during the past decade and a half — but the franchise boasts a perfect record when it makes the postseason. Sixth-seeded Miami improved to 7-0 in playoff rounds after surrendering just one run in its two-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs in the National League wild-card series.
Right-hander Sandy Alcantara (1-0, 1.35 ERA), who allowed one run on three hits in 6 2/3 innings in a 5-1 victory over Chicago on Wednesday, will face Atlanta for the first time in 2020. The 25-year-old has limited the Braves to a .176 batting average in his three career starts against them, all made in 2019, including baffling star Ronald Acuna Jr. (0-for-8, two strikeouts).
Jesus Aguilar, who led the team in runs (31) and hits (52) in 2020, battered the Braves to the tune of 15-for-40 (.375) with two homers, eight RBIs and seven runs in the season series. The Marlins, however, lost six of the 10 meetings to drop the season series to their NL East rival for the sixth straight year.
Atlanta Braves
The second-seeded Braves did the Marlins one better during the wild-card series, as they did not allow a run over 22 innings in their two-game sweep of Cincinnati. Left-hander Max Fried (7-0, 2.25 ERA regular season) scattered six hits over seven scoreless frames in the series opener versus the Reds. However, he is 0-1 with a 5.13 ERA in six career starts against Miami.
Adam Duvall, who belted a two-run homer in Atlanta’s 5-0, series-clinching victory over Cincinnati on Thursday, went deep five times in the season series with Miami. The 32-year-old showed off his power with three homers, nine RBIs and five runs in the Braves’ 29-9 romp over the Marlins on Sept. 9.
Marcell Ozuna also launched a two-run shot in the Braves’ Game 2 win against the Reds and hurt his former team by going deep three times during the season series. Freddie Freeman also mauled the Marlins, with eight of his 14 hits in the season series going for extra bases.
Marlins at Braves Betting Pick for Game 1
The Marlins have embraced the moniker of “Bottom Feeders,” a term derisively lobbed at them by Philadelphia pitcher-turned-broadcast analyst Ricky Bottalico after Miami defeated the Phillies in the season opener. Manager Don Mattingly’s charges carry that slight with them to the ballpark, with the players wearing a T-shirt with that slogan under their game-day jerseys.
Playing as though they have nothing to lose, the Marlins are winning — and they’ll continue that trend in the series opener.
Marlins at Braves Betting Pick:
Marlins 3, Braves 2
Marlins at Braves Best Bet for Game 1
While the Braves boast an offense that scored the second-most runs in the majors at 348, it’s difficult to advise taking the over when the teams combined to yield just one run during their wild-card series.
Marlins at Braves Best Bet: UNDER 8 total runs (-105)
–Field Level Media
