The Atlanta Braves'and San Diego Padres meet Wednesday in Game 2 of their best-of-3 NL Wild Card Series. First pitch is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s MLB odds around the Braves vs. Padres odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Playoffs series: Padres lead 1-0; Regular-season series: Padres won 4-3
The Braves were running on fumes after playing a makeup doubleheader in Atlanta against the New York Mets Monday just to get into the postseason. After a cross-country flight, the Braves seemed to be lacking energy in a 4-0 loss to the Padres Tuesday in Game 1 of this series. Atlanta, which was a +170 underdog, had just 1 extra-base hit — a double — and 6 singles in the loss.
With ace Chris Sale dealing with back spasms, the Braves called up Triple-A SP AJ Smith-Shawver to make just his 2nd start this season for the big-league club in Tuesday’s Wild Card opener. It didn’t go well as he 21-year-old Texan gave up a leadoff single to NL batting champ DH Luis Arraez and a 2-run homer to RF Fernando Tatis Jr. to the Padres’ first 2 batters. Smith-Shawver allowed another run in the 2nd after hitting a batter followed by a single and a sacrifice fly to the first 3 batters of the inning before being removed. His final line: 1 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 1 K, throwing only 19 of 29 pitches for strikes.