The Atlanta Braves dropped their series opener against the Oakland Athletics, but they'll look to bounce back on Tuesday night in Oakland.
Atlanta has youngster Bryce Elder (3-0. 2.01 ERA) on the mound in this game against A's lefty JP Sears (0-3, 4.70 ERA).
The A's have won just 11 games this season, posting by far the worst record in MLB.
Meanwhile, the Braves are in first place in the NL East and are one of the favorites to win the World Series. How should we bet on this lopsided matchup on Tuesday?
Braves vs. Athletics odds, run line and total
Braves vs. Athletics prediction and pick
This is a pretty simple handicap for me, as the Braves have mashed left-handed pitching this season, ranking No. 2 in MLB in OPS and No. 1 in homers against lefties.
That's going to be a major issue for Sears, who comes into this game with a Fielding Independent Pitching of 5.15. The young left-hander has allowed at least three runs in six of his 10 starts this season.
The A's have been bad no matter who is on the mound, but they are just 2-8 in Sears' starts, mainly because they have the worst bullpen ERA (6.39) in MLB. Sears has allowed just three runs in his last two starts, but Oakland dropped both games.
Elder has been solid for the Braves, posting a 1.84 ERA in five May starts, allowing no more than two runs in any of his outings. The Braves, unlike Oakland, are 8-2 in Elder's 10 starts.
I'll back Atlanta to get the road win on Tuesday.
—
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
