Both Atlanta and Miami have 20 losses. The Braves have lost six in a row. The Marlins are 3-12 in their last 15 games.
Safe to say these are two really bad teams. Miami has lost five consecutive series. Yet the Marlins are minus $1.60 to win this three-game home series with the takeback on the Braves being plus $1.40, according to current odds at thegreek.com.
The Marlins have a cluster injury problem in the infield. The Braves have the better starting pitchers going in the series in my view. So taking this price on the Braves to win the series is attractive to me.
Out for the Marlins are starting third baseman Martin Prado, starting shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, key middle infielder Miguel Rojas and recent call-up rookie shortstop J.T. Riddle. Prado is one of Miami’s four best hitters. Hechavarria has an excellent glove and Rojas was batting .338 enjoying a career season. All three are on the DL and not coming back soon.
So what have the Marlins done about this? They moved Dee Gordon from second to shortstop weakening their defense at two positions and resurrected Steve Lombardozzi – who hasn’t been in the majors in two years – to play second.
The pitching matchup for today is Mike Foltynewicz versus Jose Urena. Foltynewicz had a bad first May outing, but was very good in April giving up two or fewer runs in all five of his starts that month. He holds a much higher ceiling than Urena, who has a career 4.80 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 27 games pitching at Marlins Park.
On Saturday, it’s Julio Teheran against Edinson Volquez. Teheran is the superior pitcher. Then on Sunday, it’s veteran R.A. Dickey vesus Dan Straily. Miami pitchers have given up the most walks in the majors and its bullpen has a league-low three saves.
I am a perfect 9-0 on my plays during the past four days. I have my Stanley Cup Game of the Year going today along with plays in the NBA and baseball. I have cashed 68 percent of my last 41 NBA plays going 27-13-1 and 62 percent long-term at 61-38-1 on my last 100 NBA premium/free plays. I am 11-5 on my last 16 hockey plays – up 14.4 units during this span – and have won 17 of my last 23 premium baseball plays.
