On June 23, the Atlanta Braves (48-26) will take on the Cincinnati Reds (40-35) at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. The game is set to start at 6:40 PM EST. The Braves come into this game on a hot streak, winning five of their last six games and boasting a 24-11 record on the road. The Reds, on the other hand, have struggled recently, losing four of their last six games.
The probable pitchers for the game are AJ Smith-Shawver (1-0, 2.03 ERA) for the Braves and Luke Weaver (1-2, 6.47 ERA) for the Reds. Smith-Shawver has pitched well in his limited action this season, allowing just two home runs and four walks in 13.1 innings pitched. Weaver has struggled, giving up 13 home runs and 17 walks in 57 innings pitched.
According to ESPN Analytics, the Braves are favored to win, with a 57.4% chance of victory. The Braves are led by their strong lineup, which includes All-Stars Ronald Acuna Jr. (.324 AVG, .400 OBP, .552 SLG) and Ozzie Albies (17 HR, 53 RBI, .267 AVG). The Reds will look to Jonathan India (10 HR, 39 RBI, .266 AVG) and Jake Fraley (9 HR, 44 RBI, .270 AVG) to lead their offense.
In terms of team stats, the Braves hold the edge in batting average (.268 vs .256) and slugging percentage (.476 vs .404), while the Reds have a higher team ERA (4.86 vs 3.69) and walk rate (9.0% vs 8.4%). The Braves also have a better record as favorites (28-36) compared to the Reds as underdogs (37-20).
Both teams have a few players listed on the injury report, including Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene (SP) who is on the 15-day IL. The Braves’ Sean Murphy (C) is listed as day-to-day.
Overall, this should be an exciting matchup between two first-place teams. With the Braves coming in on a hot streak and Smith-Shawver showing promise on the mound, they have the edge going into the game. However, the Reds will look to use their home field advantage and strong offense to pull off the upset.
