Atlanta Braves vs Washington Nationals Prediction, 4/2/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Atlanta Braves vs Washington Nationals

Date: Sunday, April 2, 2023

Location: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

TV: MASN

Nationals Park is where the Washington Nationals (55-107 last season) will attempt to defeat the Atlanta Braves (101-61 last year) on Sunday. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Ryne Nelson and MacKenzie Gore.

The Braves accounted for 298 doubles as a unit and hit 243 balls out of the park. Atlanta had a slugging rate of .443 and were called out on strikes 1,498 times, while being walked on 470 occasions. As a team, the Atlanta Braves put up 4.9 runs per outing, which had them at 3rd in baseball. They compiled 753 runs batted in in addition to 1,394 hits last season, while their team batting average came in at .253. They had 789 runs scored and held an OBP of .317.

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The Braves had an earned run average of 3.46 during the previous year (5th in baseball), and they rung up 1,554 batters. They walked 500 opposing hitters and their FIP came in at 3.46 as a squad over the course of last season. Their K/BB ratio was 3.11 and the pitching staff earned a collective WHIP of 1.19. Braves pitchers conceded 148 home runs and also 609 runs in total (5th in MLB).

Braves pitchers went to the mound with runners on base 136 times as well as having 182 contests in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers accumulated 114 holds for the previous season (2nd in the league). The Braves relievers recorded a save rate of 66.3% and stepped onto the mound in 200 save situations. They earned 55 saves over the course of the prior season and did not convert 28 of their 83 chances to save the game. The relievers inherited 193 runners over the course of the prior season with 31.6% of those runners crossed home plate. The Braves dispatched 518 relievers to the mound in the previous season.

The Braves turned 70.1% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 13,032 innings on the field, which had them ranked 14th in baseball. The Atlanta Braves accounted for 4,344 putouts in the previous season, as well as 1,382 assists and 77 errors. Their fielding percentage finished at .987 which put them in 9th in baseball, and had a total of 110 double plays.

Nelson has taken the hill for 18 innings and has tallied 16 strikeouts in his MLB career. Nelson (1-1 career win-loss mark) has a FIP of 3.77 while he has faced 69 opposing batters during his time in the major leagues. His ERA is 1.47 (3 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 0.818. He has surrendered 9 base hits (4.4 hits per nine innings) and has 6 free passes.

The Nationals had a team slugging % of .377 and they had an average of 3.72 runs per contest (26th in baseball). They hit 252 doubles, while taking a walk 442 times and putting up 603 runs. Washington recorded 136 home runs during the previous year in addition to 579 runs batted in. They struck out on 1,221 occasions (27th in MLB) and had 1,351 base hits. The Washington Nationals accounted for an on-base percentage of .310 and a team batting average of .249 in the prior season.

The Nationals finished with a team WHIP of 1.436 in addition to having a FIP of 4.98 as a pitching staff over the course of last year. They had a K/BB ratio of 2.19 (1,220 strikeouts against 558 free passes). They were sitting at 28th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 1,469. They relinquished 244 long balls and they yielded 5.45 runs per 9 innings (29th in the league). The Washington pitching staff relinquished 855 runs in the prior season while holding an ERA of 5.01 (785 earned runs conceded).

Washington had bullpen pitchers step onto the hill in 45 save chances and they walked away with 28 saves. They ranked 18th in MLB holding a save rate of 62.2%, and they sent 588 relievers onto the diamond last season. Their relievers took the field 128 times in high leverage situations and on 152 occasions with base runners. Washington relievers had an inherited score rate of 32.2% of 242 inherited base runners. Wrapping up the year with 105 save situations, the Nationals had 59 holds and 17 blown saves.

Out of their 12,705 innings on the field, the Nationals held a defensive efficiency of 68.7% (24th in the majors). Washington Nationals turned 126 double plays and accounted for a fielding rate of .982 (29th in MLB). The Nationals accrued 1,410 assists, 104 errors and had 4,235 putouts during the previous year.

Gore (4-4 mark in his career) has earned a 4.50 ERA while conceding 8.5 hits per nine innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 1.95 and he has gone up against 309 batters during his pro baseball career. He has conceded a total of 35 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.471 and a FIP of 4.1. In his career, Gore has conceded 66 base knocks and he has 72 strikeouts in 70 innings pitched.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Washington

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