Oakland Athletics vs Atlanta Braves Prediction, 5/31/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Oakland Athletics vs Atlanta Braves

Date: Friday, May 31, 2024

Location: Truist Park in Cumberland, GA

TV: NBC Sports California

The Oakland Athletics (23-34) are on their way to Truist Park on Friday where they will go up against the Atlanta Braves (31-22). The expected starting pitchers are JP Sears and Reynaldo Lopez.

As a team, the Oakland Athletics are knocking in 3.7 runs per contest, which has them sitting at 27th in MLB. They have a total of 212 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .295. The Athletics have tallied 80 doubles as a team and have knocked 69 balls out of the park. They have accounted for 203 RBI's as well as 420 base knocks this year, and their average at the plate comes in at .222. Oakland has a slugging % of .381 and have been called out on strikes 553 times, while being walked on 179 occasions.

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They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 2.45 and the pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.32. Athletics pitchers have allowed 52 home runs in addition to 273 runs in total (27th in MLB). Oakland has relinquished 489 base knocks (8.7 per 9 innings) as well as 241 earned runs. The Athletics have compiled a team ERA of 4.29 on the year (24th in baseball), and their staff has rung up 441 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 180 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 3.96 as a squad so far this season.

The Athletics have dispatched 179 relievers to the hill this year. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 72 runners this year with 31.9% of them earned a run for their team. They have accumulated 13 saves this year and have blown 6 of their 19 save chances. The Athletics bullpen have a save percentage of 68.4% and stepped onto the hill in 52 save situations. The relief pitchers have 33 holds so far this season (10th in baseball). Athletics bullpen pitchers have gone to the mound with opponents on base 57 times in addition to having 51 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Oakland Athletics have 1,517 putouts on the campaign, as well as 501 assists and 40 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .981 which has them ranked 30th in the majors, and they have turned 60 double plays. The Athletics have converted 68.2% of balls in play into outs in their 4,551 innings, which has them sitting at 27th in the majors.

Sears (15-20 career win-loss mark) is the owner of a FIP of 4.81 while he has faced 1,270 opposing batters during his time in the majors. He has surrendered 282 base knocks (8.4 hits per nine innings) and has had 93 free passes. His earned run average is 4.25 (143 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.239. Sears has taken the hill for 302 innings and has accounted for 252 strikeouts in his pro baseball career.

The Braves hold a team slugging percentage of .409 and they tally 4.53 runs per outing (8th in the league). They have 105 two-baggers, while walking 160 times and earning 240 runs. Atlanta has 57 long balls on the year to go along with 231 runs batted in. They have struck out on 471 occasions (14th in the league) and have totaled 453 base hits. The Atlanta Braves have accumulated an on-base percentage of .317 as well as a batting average of .251 on the campaign.

The Braves hold a team WHIP of 1.224 and have a FIP of 3.55 as a pitching staff on the season. They are sitting at 6th in baseball as a staff in total hits surrendered with 428. The Atlanta pitching staff have given up 200 runs this year while having a team ERA of 3.47 (183 earned runs relinquished). Their K/BB ratio is 8.70 (458 strikeouts against 152 free passes). They have conceded 46 homers and they concede 3.80 runs per 9 innings (6th in baseball).

Atlanta relievers have an inherited score rate of 30.2% out of 43 inherited runners. Their relievers have come in 54 times in high leverage situations and also on 37 occasions with runners on. With 51 save situations, the Braves have accrued 27 holds in addition to 9 blown saves. They rank 15th in the league with a save percentage of 62.5%, and they have sent 160 relief pitchers onto the field so far this year. Atlanta has called on relievers to step onto the hill in 24 save chances and they have come away with 15 saves.

The Atlanta Braves have turned 46 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .990 (1st in the majors). The Braves have recorded 505 assists, 20 errors and are sitting with 1,422 putouts during this campaign. In their 4,266 innings on the diamond, the Braves have earned a efficiency on defense of 69.5% (22nd in the majors).

During his career, Lopez has allowed 673 base hits while he has earned 664 strikeouts in 731 innings pitched. He has given up a total of 336 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.286 and having a FIP of 4.3. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.49 and he has faced 3,093 opposing hitters in his MLB career. Lopez (41-51 career mark) has earned a 4.14 earned run average and has surrendered 8.3 hits per nine innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Oakland

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