Braves-Mets prediction: Picks, odds on Monday, May 1

After a rain-soaked weekend canceled two games of their three-game set, the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets will square off in a doubleheader on Monday from Citi Field in Queens. First pitch for game one is set for 1:10 p.m. ET, with Cy Young contender Spencer Strider (3-0, 1.80 ERA) going for the Braves while Denyi Reyes (0-0, 0.00) will start what figures to be a bullpen game for the Mets.

Atlanta checks is as -245 favorites on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook. While the Mets are +205 underdogs. The run total is set at 8.5.

Braves-Mets picks: Monday, May 1

Braves

Out: RP Raisel Iglesias (shoulder), C Travis d'Arnaud (concussion), SS Orlando Arcia (wrist)

Mets

Out: C Omar Narvaez (calf), SP Justin Verlander (shoulder), SP Carlos Carrasco (elbow), CF Tim Locastro (back)

Spencer Strider vs. Denyi Reyes

Strider has been, quite simply, the most dominant pitcher in the Majors so far this season, most recently taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Miami Marlins while striking out 13. The righty only throws two pitches, a four-seam fastball and a slider, but that's really all you need when the fastball averages 97 mph and the slider carries a whiff rate of 53 percent. (Seriously, let that sink in: Major League hitters are missing the pitch more often than they make contact.) Strider will always allow the occasional walk, but his stuff is so overwhelming that it doesn't often come back to bite him.

The Mets intended to let Reyes stretch out into a starter down at Triple-A, but injuries and a packed schedule forced them to bring him back to New York before that could happen – the righty recorded five outs on 36 pitches in his only outing in Syracuse, so it figures to be a full bullpen effort today. New York's bullpen carries the 10th-lowest ERA in baseball, but they've struggled recently, and 27 outs against this Braves lineup is a tall task.

The Mets have seen plenty of Strider over the last year-plus, and they've actually hit him better than most. If New York can find a way to at least scratch across a couple runs, this over should hit given the Braves' advantage over the underbelly of the Mets bullpen

Pick: Over 8.5

Spencer Strider against an army of middle relievers? Yeah, our money is on Atlanta.

Pick: Braves

  
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