NL Division Series Game 3: Braves vs. Phillies Best Bets

NL East Rivals in the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves are set to face off for Game 3 of the NL Division Series today from Citizens Bank Park.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

After the Braves won Game 2, the NLDS shifts to The City of Brotherly Love tied at one. There’s been stuff to like about both teams through two games, but the Phillies will enter this important third game as slight home favorites over the Braves. The Phillies starting pitching plans should give them an edge over the Braves. Spencer Strider was injured in the middle of September, so the young rookie sensation has yet to take the hill in this series. If he can go today, he will likely be able to throw somewhere between two and three innings, according to manager Brian Snitker.

Strider finished the year with an 11-5 record with a 2.67 ERA and 202 strikeouts. On the Phillies’ side, they’ll send one of their most effective starters to the hill. Right-hander Aaron Nola had another strong campaign for the Phillies, posting an 11-13 record with a 3.25 ERA and 235 strikeouts. Nola is also coming off pitching another gem in the Wild Card round against the St. Louis Cardinals, so he’s already shown what he can do in the postseason. 

This season, Nola made five starts against the Braves, ending the year with a 3.67 ERA against them. Those numbers are acceptable but don’t jump off the page, leading bettors to target the plus-money value Atlanta’s offering on the moneyline. 

Best Bet: Braves moneyline (-106) 

The first two games of this series saw 13 and three runs scored, but this game feels more like the former, so we should be looking toward the over seven at -105. 

Best Bet: Over 7 (-105)

Aaron Nola has a solid strikeout record against the Braves, mowing down 41 batters in five starts this season. That’s an average of over eight per start, meaning it shouldn’t be a surprise that that’s precisely the number we’ll be targeting with him tonight. There’s some safety with looking at seven instead, but that price is listed at -142, while the odds jump substantially to +140 if he can record eight or more. It’s somewhat risky because of the short leash pitchers have in the postseason, but Nola has always been a strikeout pitcher, and this matchup is one he’s been able to generate a bunch in.

Best Prop: Aaron Nola to Record 8+ Strikeouts (+140)