Braves vs Nationals – Baseball Free Picks

When the Braves and Nationals square off in Wednesday evening’s baseball betting odds, the game will feature one team in the middle of the National League, and another in the division’s basement.

But before you pass judgment, those teams aren’t exactly who you think.

It’s actually the Atlanta Braves, one of the best teams in baseball over the last two decades, which finds itself at the bottom of the NL East. And looking at their roster, the problems are easy to see.

Atlanta Braves (11-15 SU, 9-17 R/L, 10-13-3 O/U) at

Washington Nationals (14-12 SU, 16-10 R/L, 11-14-1 O/U)

Wednesday, May 05: 7:10 p.m.

Betting Odds:

Atlanta: -1 ½, +105, -155 (Tommy Hanson-R)

Washington: +1 ½, -125, +135 (Luis Atilano-R)

Total Runs:

Over 8: -120

Under 8: Even

Simply put, the Braves just aren’t hitting right now. From top to bottom their order is struggling, as Martin Prado is the only regular batting over .300. And while rookie Jason Heyward (.289, eight home runs) has been as good as advertised, few others have.

Veterans Troy Glaus, Melky Cabrera and Chipper Jones- all expected to provide pop in this lineup- are hitting below .230, and none seems to be showing any signs of coming alive. If one or more of them don’t start hitting, the Braves season might be over before it really begins.

Looking to stop the bleeding for Atlanta, will be right handed starter Tommy Hanson, who heads to the mound looking for his third win of the season on Wednesday. Even at the young age of 23, Hanson has already emerged as maybe the best pitcher on this staff, as through five starts, he’s pitched 29 innings and given up just seven earned runs, while striking out 33.

Much like the rest of this staff, he’s been plagued by run support issues, as his record stands at just 2-2.

As for Washington, they’ll counter with another youngster, 24-year-old Luis Atilano.

Atilano comes into this game short on experience, but has been successful in his limited time in the big leagues. He’s started two games, pitching six innings in each, and not giving up more than two runs in either.

His ERA is an impressive 2.25.

Offensively, the Nationals come into this game as one of the big surprises in the National League. 

While many expected stars like Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn to lead the way, it’s actually been the under the radar players who’ve done the heavy lifting. Included is Josh Willingham, who has added surprising pop in the middle of this lineup.

He’s got four home runs and 15 RBI, including a solo home run in Tuesday’s 6-3 victory over Atlanta.

So with two hot pitchers on the mound, who should your Wednesday night baseball bet be? Make it Washington.

The Nationals continue to surprise everyone, as they’ve now won four of their last six. They’re balanced on offense, and have improved from top to bottom in the rotation.

Add it all up, and you’ve got yourself a winner on Wednesday night. Take the Nationals in Wednesday’s betting odds.

Aaron’s MLB Free Pick: Washington +135 >> SIGN UP NOW