The Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins start up their series with a pitching matchup that looks better on paper than it may actually play out. Ray Kerr has been impressive in limited action, but with only 15.0 innings under his belt, it's still a small sample size against a Miami lineup that has enough young talent to generate offense. On the other side, Eury Perez has flashed his elite upside throughout the season, but he has also been vulnerable to giving up crooked numbers when his command slips. With two offenses capable of taking advantage of mistakes, this matchup has the potential to turn into a higher-scoring game than expected.
Kerr is 0-0 with a 1.76 ERA. He has pitched well in his relief role, but he'll now face a tougher test as he will be opening. Perez enters with a 7-11 record and a 4.14 ERA. He has electric stuff, but inconsistency has followed him throughout the year -- and when he has struggled, it has often been due to elevated pitch counts and hard contact. Atlanta's lineup has the firepower to capitalize if Perez isn't sharp, while the Marlins should have opportunities against a pitcher still proving himself as a starter. With both starters carrying question marks despite respectable recent results, expect enough offense on both sides to push this game over the number.
Braves vs Marlins prediction: Over 8 (-105) available at time of publishing. Playable to -120
