With the Atlanta Braves clinching the NL East, this game doesn’t mean quite as much for them. While they aren’t going to rest their entire team before the postseason, there isn’t the same pressure to win tonight. The Braves will start things off with JR Ritchie, who enters with a 1-3 record and a 5.03 ERA. For the Reds, they’ll start with left-hander Brandon Williamson, who enters with a 4-4 record and a 5.56 ERA.
It’s hard to trust either pitcher in this matchup. Williamson holds a 6.35 xERA and has a 13.8% walk rate, which puts him in the bottom 2% of the league this season. Ritchie hasn’t been much better, posting a 5.30 xERA and a 13.7% walk rate, placing him in the bottom 4%. With both pitchers struggling to limit baserunners, this game sets up for a high-scoring battle, especially with the Reds bullpen carrying a 4.76 ERA. At the end of the day, it’s hard to trust either starting pitcher in this matchup, and it’s hard to back the Braves at such a steep line. I’m expecting both pitchers to struggle to limit baserunners, and both teams should be able to capitalize early on, which is why I’m backing the over as my best bet of the day.
Reds vs Braves prediction: Over 9 (+106) available at time of publishing. Playable to -105.
