Atlanta Braves vs Philadelphia Phillies Prediction, 3/31/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Atlanta Braves vs Philadelphia Phillies

Date: Sunday, March 31, 2024

Location: Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA

TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia

Citizens Bank Park is where the Philadelphia Phillies (90-72 last season) will go up against the Atlanta Braves (104-58 last year) on Sunday. The pitchers taking the mound are Chris Sale and Ranger Suarez.

As a unit, the Atlanta Braves compiled 5.9 runs per game, which had them at 1st in baseball. They had a total of 947 runs while holding a team OBP of .344. The Braves compiled 293 two-baggers as a unit and knocked 307 balls out of the stadium. They amassed 916 runs batted in in addition to 1,543 hits last season, while their team batting average finished at .276. Atlanta had a slugging percentage of .501 and struck out 1,289 times, while taking a walk on 538 occasions.

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They had a K/BB ratio of 2.84 and their pitching staff had a team WHIP of 1.30. Braves pitchers surrendered 187 home runs and also 716 runs in total (13th in the league). Atlanta allowed 1,341 base hits (8.4 per 9 innings) as well as 662 earned runs. The Braves compiled a team ERA of 4.14 in the prior season (15th in baseball), and their staff rung up 1,516 hitters. They walked 534 batters and their FIP was 4.10 as a squad over the course of last season.

The Braves dispatched 532 relief pitchers to the mound over the course of the prior season. The relief pitchers inherited 188 base runners over the course of the prior season and 31.4% of them crossed home plate. They accumulated 52 saves over the course of the prior season and did not convert 26 of their 78 chances to get a save. The Braves relievers had a save percentage of 66.7% and entered the game in 181 save situations. The relief pitchers racked up 102 holds for the previous season (5th in MLB). Braves bullpen pitchers stepped onto the hill with players on base 129 times as well as having 171 outings in high leverage situations.

The Braves turned 68.5% of balls in play into outs out of their 12,960 innings, which ranked them 22nd in professional baseball. The Atlanta Braves had 4,320 putouts over the course of last year, as well as 1,339 assists and 82 errors. Their fielding rate finished at .986 which had them ranked 16th in professional baseball, and they twisted 134 double plays.

Sale has taken the ball for 1,780 innings and has accumulated 2,189 strikeouts so far in his pro baseball career. His ERA is 3.10 (614 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.047. He has surrendered 1,449 hits (7.3 hits per 9 innings) and has had 416 free passes. Sale (120-80 career win-loss mark) holds a FIP of 2.97 while he has faced 7,177 batters in the majors.

The Phillies held a slugging % of .438 and they averaged 4.91 runs per outing (8th in baseball). They put up 291 two-baggers, while walking 539 times and recording 796 runs. Philadelphia accounted for 220 long balls for the prior year to go along with 771 runs batted in. They were called out on strikes on 1,481 occasions (8th in the league) and earned a total of 1,417 base hits. The Philadelphia Phillies compiled a team OBP of .327 and a batting average of .256 over the course of last season.

The Phillies had a WHIP of 1.239 with a FIP of 4.00 as a team over the course of the prior season. Their K/BB ratio was 9.10 (1,454 strikeouts vs 470 free passes). They ranked 9th in MLB as a staff in total hits conceded with 1,317. They relinquished 185 HR's and they conceded 4.46 runs per 9 innings (12th in the league). The Philadelphia pitching staff conceded 715 runs last year while having an ERA of 4.03 (645 earned runs conceded).

Philadelphia had relievers take the mound in 71 save chances and they walked away with 45 saves. They were ranked 14th in baseball with a save rate of 63.4%, and they dispatched 523 relief pitchers to the mound last year. Their relief pitchers stepped onto the mound 181 times in high leverage situations and also on 131 occasions with runners on. Philadelphia bullpen pitchers held an inherited score rate of 34.1% out of their 182 inherited base runners. Ending the season with 158 save situations, the Phillies had 87 holds and 26 blown saves.

In 12,981 innings played, the Phillies had a defensive efficiency of 69.5% (13th in professional baseball). The Philadelphia Phillies turned 117 double plays and owned a fielding percentage of .984 (21st in the majors). The Phillies accrued 1,385 assists, 92 errors and are sitting with 4,327 putouts in the previous season.

In his career, Suarez has allowed 434 hits while he has accumulated 409 punch outs in 454 innings pitched. Suarez (29-21 career win-loss record) is the owner of a 3.41 ERA and has given up 8.6 hits per nine innings. He has allowed a total of 172 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.311 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.7. His K/BB ratio is 2.54 and he has gone up against 1,920 batters during his career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Philadelphia

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