There are multiple games today beginning this afternoon on the National League schedule, and there’s value to target in these spots. Below, you can find both games from the National League and some of our best bets on the FanDuel Sportsbook.Houston Astros (+106) vs. Atlanta Braves (-124) Total: 8 (O -115, U -105)
A rematch of last year’s World Series is set to go down this weekend from Truist Park with the Atlanta Braves playing host to the Houston Astros. The Astros enter this series after splitting a four-game set with the Chicago White Sox, while the Braves closed the gap atop the NL East and took three-of-four games from the New York Mets. This series should see a lot of eyeballs, with the Astros entering with a 77-43 record, along with being 7-3 over their past ten games, while the Braves are red hot and are 9-1 over that same stretch and have a 73-47 record overall. The Braves bats have been on a different planet of late, and it’s challenging to find a position in this lineup right now that doesn’t cause concerns for opposing pitchers.
The opening pitching matchup should draw a lot of intrigue, with one arm making just his second start this year and one already being a high-end starter. Lance McCullers Jr. of the Astros is set to pitch for the second time at the big league level this season after recovering from an injury, while Kyle Wright has been excellent in the Braves rotation. The Astros righthander looked impressive in his debut, pitching six scoreless innings while striking out five batters. Meanwhile, Wright has a 14-5 record, with a 3.14 ERA and 129 strikeouts. Wright has been moderately better at home this season, which has seen the Braves provide a lot of run support.
The Braves are on fire, especially offensively, and they’ve also received some excellent starting pitching. Even with the Astros posing a threat to the Braves, it’s hard to look away from Atlanta on the moneyline. At -124, bettors should back the Braves.
Best Bet: Braves moneyline (-124)
St. Louis Cardinals (-186) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (+156) Total: 8.5 (O -118, U -104)The St. Louis Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks are set to kick off a three-game weekend series tonight from Chase Field. The Cards have increased their NL Central lead to three games over the Milwaukee Brewers and have won four straight games with a 7-3 record over their past ten. Regarding the home side, the D-Backs are playing well, posting a 6-4 record over that same stretch, and are coming off a split with the San Francisco Giants in a four-game series.
The Diamondbacks’ pitching has been much better than projected, while the Cardinals’ rotation has also been a strength. The opening pitching matchup will feature Miles Mikolas of the Cardinals taking on Tommy Henry of the D-Backs. The Cards All-Star has a 9-9 record, with a 3.44 ERA and 114 strikeouts, while Henry is 2-1 with a 4.15 ERA and nine punchouts. The Cardinals should have the edge in this opening matchup.
With how well the Cardinals are hitting right now and one of their best arms on the bump in Mikolas, it’s hard not to side in their direction. At -186, there isn’t much value with St. Louis on the moneyline, but the run line warrants consideration at -115.
Best Bet: Cardinals run line (-115)