Atlanta Braves (76-70) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (48-100)
September 20, 2021 9:40 pm EDT
The Line: Arizona Diamondbacks +115 / Atlanta Braves -152; Over/Under: -9.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Atlanta Braves and the Arizona Diamondbacks meet Monday in MLB action from Chase Field. Atlanta is coming off a weekend set versus the Giants. The Braves lost the first two in that set, then on Sunday Atlanta posted a shutout win. As for Arizona, they played the Astros over the weekend. The Diamondbacks split the first pair, then on Sunday Arizona lost in a tough one by a single run. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Atlanta lost a couple of tough games to the Giants over the weekend 6-5 Friday and 2-0 Saturday. In the Sunday finale, the Braves scored all their runs in the seventh inning during a 3-0 shutout win. Starter Max Fried put up 7.0 innings with three hits, one walk and five Ks.
For the starter job in the Monday game, Atlanta will send out Huascar Ynoa. This year Ynoa has 77.1 innings with 58 hits, 29 runs (28 earned), 10 homers allowed, 21 walks, 86 Ks and a 3.26 ERA.
Over on the Diamondbacks’ side, they fell 4-3 to the Astros on Friday but then bounced back for a 6-4 Saturday win. In the Sunday rubber match, Arizona coughed up three key runs in the eighth during a 7-6 defeat. Starter Zac Gallen put up 6.0 innings with four earned on five hits and a walk.
The Diamondbacks will send out Humberto Mejia in the starter role Monday. Mejia is 0-1 this year with a 4.91 ERA and 10 Ks.
The Braves are 13-5 in their last 18 in game one of a series and 13-5 in their last 18 with a total of 9.0-10.5. The over is also 2-0-2 in Atlanta’s last four in game one of a series.
Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks are 10-26 in their last 36 in game one of a series and 33-87 in their last 120 overall. Arizona is 0-4 in their last four Monday games as well.
PICK: I’m going to take Atlanta in this one. Ynoa has a couple of decent starts to his credit in his last pair, going 9.2 combined innings with four earned on seven hits and four walks. Ynoa has allowed two earned in three of his last four starts. If the Braves can give him some offensive support, I can easily see an Atlanta victory here.
