MLB picks and expert predictions: Atlanta ( ) narrow favorites against menacing Marlins ( )

Our expert MLB handicapper John Lepore looks ahead to Friday night's clash between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves...

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Charlie Morton

Atlanta Braves pitcher Charlie Morton - © Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

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John Lepore

MLB Betting Expert

John is a respected MLB analyst, author and handicapper who has over 10 years' experience of betting big on baseball.

MLB expert picks: Miami Marlins @ Atlanta Braves (Friday, September 2: 7.20 EDT)

FixtureMiami Marlins @ Atlanta Braves
WhenFriday, September 2, 7:20 EDT
Likely StartersSandy Alcantara vs. Charlie Morton
Where to watchApple TV

The Miami Marlins don’t have much to play for the rest of the season. However, they can hurt the Atlanta Braves chances of making a run at the New York Mets for the National League East title (+600). The defending champions look to be in control of a playoff spot, leading the Milwaukee Brewers by 10 games for the final Wild Card seed. This is a division battle though and rosters will be expanded by two players. Anything is possible here. 

The Marlins will throw Cy Young contender Sandy Alcantara on Friday. He has been an absolute workhorse this season with a league-leading 185.2 innings pitched. Not only has Alcantara been durable, but he has also been dominant as well. The young right-hander sports a 12-6 record with a 2.13 ERA. He has allowed opposing hitters only a .568 OPS. The Braves are a home run-hitting team, but Alcantara has surrendered just 10 long balls this year.

The Braves counter with veteran Charlie Morton. The 38-year-old has been solid with a 6-5 record and a 4.10 ERA. The right-hander continues to strike out players at an impressive rate considering his age. He has a 28.6 percent K rate which is the second highest of his career. Morton has run into problems with the long ball. He has allowed 20 home runs, a career high, in just 140.1 innings.  

Marlins player to watch: Sandy Alcantara 

We are watching an ace have his breakout season. Not only is Alcantara putting together his best year at 26 years old, but he is also a throwback to a different time. Nowadays, starting pitchers generally don’t go the whole nine innings. He has four complete games in 26 starts. Aside from Aaron Nola and Framber Valdez, no other pitcher has more than one in the majors. You will not just see a great pitcher but may actually see him pitch the whole game. 

Braves player to watch: Vaughn Grissom 

The youngster has given the Braves some hope at the second base position. When Ozzie Albies went down with a foot injury, Atlanta tried a few different players at the keystone, but they didn’t really find anyone to hold the spot. Enter Grissom. The 21-year-old has already made an impact in his 19 games as of Wednesday. He is slashing .324/.368/.493 with three bombs and three stolen bases. Albies should be back in a couple of weeks. Enjoy Grissom now as he may not be playing much once Ozzie returns

Miami Marlins @ Atlanta Braves conclusion and prediction 

The Marlins would normally be heavy underdogs traveling to Atlanta. However, Miami has one of the best pitchers in baseball on the bump for Friday night’s game. Alcantara has faced the Braves twice this season and has dominated. He has thrown 17 innings and has given up just one earned run while striking out 21 and walking just two. Atlanta may still be the favorites, but not by much. If so, take the Marlins and the Under. 

MLB Picks: 

Marlins at

Under ( ) at -120 

MLB quick picks Friday, September 2:

Twins at -134 vs White Sox 

Rangers vs Red Sox Under at +102

Athletics at vs Orioles  

MLB
7/18/2023, 10:40 PM
Milwaukee
Milwaukee @
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
MLB
7/18/2023, 11:05 PM
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers @
Baltimore
Baltimore
MLB
7/18/2023, 11:05 PM
Cleveland
Cleveland @
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
MLB
7/18/2023, 11:07 PM
San Diego
San Diego @
Toronto
Toronto
MLB
7/18/2023, 11:10 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
MLB
7/18/2023, 11:10 PM
Chi. White Sox
Chi. White Sox @
NY Mets
NY Mets
MLB
7/18/2023, 11:20 PM
Arizona
Arizona @
Atlanta
Atlanta
MLB
7/18/2023, 11:45 PM
Miami
Miami @
St. Louis
St. Louis
MLB
7/19/2023, 12:05 AM
Washington
Washington @
Chi. Cubs
Chi. Cubs
MLB
7/19/2023, 12:05 AM
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay @
Texas
Texas
MLB
7/19/2023, 12:10 AM
Detroit
Detroit @
Kansas City
Kansas City
MLB
7/19/2023, 12:40 AM
Houston
Houston @
Colorado
Colorado
MLB
7/19/2023, 1:38 AM
NY Yankees
NY Yankees @
LA Angels
LA Angels
MLB
7/19/2023, 1:40 AM
Boston
Boston @
Oakland
Oakland
MLB
7/19/2023, 1:40 AM
Minnesota
Minnesota @
Seattle
Seattle
MLB
7/19/2023, 4:35 PM
Cleveland
Cleveland @
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
MLB
7/19/2023, 5:05 PM
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers @
Baltimore
Baltimore
MLB
7/19/2023, 6:05 PM
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay @
Texas
Texas
MLB
7/19/2023, 6:15 PM
Miami
Miami @
St. Louis
St. Louis
MLB
7/19/2023, 7:10 PM
Houston
Houston @
Colorado
Colorado
MLB
7/19/2023, 7:37 PM
Boston
Boston @
Oakland
Oakland
MLB
7/19/2023, 10:40 PM
Milwaukee
Milwaukee @
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
MLB
7/19/2023, 11:07 PM
San Diego
San Diego @
Toronto
Toronto
MLB
7/19/2023, 11:07 PM
NY Yankees
NY Yankees @
LA Angels
LA Angels
MLB
7/19/2023, 11:10 PM
Chi. White Sox
Chi. White Sox @
NY Mets
NY Mets
MLB
7/19/2023, 11:10 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
MLB
7/19/2023, 11:20 PM
Arizona
Arizona @
Atlanta
Atlanta
MLB
7/20/2023, 12:05 AM
Washington
Washington @
Chi. Cubs
Chi. Cubs
MLB
7/20/2023, 12:10 AM
Detroit
Detroit @
Kansas City
Kansas City
MLB
7/20/2023, 1:40 AM
Minnesota
Minnesota @
Seattle
Seattle
MLB
7/20/2023, 4:20 PM
Arizona
Arizona @
Atlanta
Atlanta
MLB
7/20/2023, 4:35 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
MLB
7/20/2023, 4:35 PM
Milwaukee
Milwaukee @
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
MLB
7/20/2023, 5:07 PM
San Diego
San Diego @
Toronto
Toronto
MLB
7/20/2023, 5:10 PM
Chi. White Sox
Chi. White Sox @
NY Mets
NY Mets
MLB
7/20/2023, 6:10 PM
Detroit
Detroit @
Kansas City
Kansas City
MLB
7/20/2023, 7:40 PM
Minnesota
Minnesota @
Seattle
Seattle
MLB
7/20/2023, 10:40 PM
Baltimore
Baltimore @
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
MLB
7/21/2023, 12:05 AM
St. Louis
St. Louis @
Chi. Cubs
Chi. Cubs
MLB
7/21/2023, 1:40 AM
Houston
Houston @
Oakland
Oakland
MLB
7/21/2023, 6:20 PM
St. Louis
St. Louis @
Chi. Cubs
Chi. Cubs
MLB
7/21/2023, 10:40 PM
Colorado
Colorado @
Miami
Miami
MLB
7/21/2023, 10:40 PM
San Diego
San Diego @
Detroit
Detroit
MLB
7/21/2023, 10:40 PM
Baltimore
Baltimore @
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
MLB
7/21/2023, 11:05 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Washington
Washington
MLB
7/21/2023, 11:05 PM
Kansas City
Kansas City @
NY Yankees
NY Yankees
MLB
7/21/2023, 11:10 PM
Philadelphia
Philadelphia @
Cleveland
Cleveland
MLB
7/21/2023, 11:10 PM
NY Mets
NY Mets @
Boston
Boston
MLB
7/21/2023, 11:10 PM
Arizona
Arizona @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
MLB
7/22/2023, 12:05 AM
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers @
Texas
Texas
MLB
7/22/2023, 12:10 AM
Chi. White Sox
Chi. White Sox @
Minnesota
Minnesota
MLB
7/22/2023, 12:10 AM
Atlanta
Atlanta @
Milwaukee
Milwaukee
MLB
7/22/2023, 1:38 AM
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh @
LA Angels
LA Angels
MLB
7/22/2023, 1:40 AM
Houston
Houston @
Oakland
Oakland
MLB
7/22/2023, 2:10 AM
Toronto
Toronto @
Seattle
Seattle
MLB
7/22/2023, 5:05 PM
Kansas City
Kansas City @
NY Yankees
NY Yankees
MLB
7/22/2023, 5:10 PM
Colorado
Colorado @
Miami
Miami
MLB
7/22/2023, 6:20 PM
St. Louis
St. Louis @
Chi. Cubs
Chi. Cubs
MLB
7/22/2023, 8:05 PM
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers @
Texas
Texas
MLB
7/22/2023, 8:10 PM
NY Mets
NY Mets @
Boston
Boston
MLB
7/22/2023, 8:10 PM
Toronto
Toronto @
Seattle
Seattle
MLB
7/22/2023, 8:10 PM
Baltimore
Baltimore @
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
MLB
7/22/2023, 8:10 PM
Arizona
Arizona @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
MLB
7/22/2023, 10:10 PM
San Diego
San Diego @
Detroit
Detroit
MLB
7/22/2023, 11:05 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Washington
Washington
MLB
7/22/2023, 11:10 PM
Philadelphia
Philadelphia @
Cleveland
Cleveland
MLB
7/22/2023, 11:15 PM
Atlanta
Atlanta @
Milwaukee
Milwaukee
MLB
7/22/2023, 11:15 PM
Chi. White Sox
Chi. White Sox @
Minnesota
Minnesota
MLB
7/23/2023, 1:07 AM
Houston
Houston @
Oakland
Oakland
MLB
7/23/2023, 1:07 AM
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh @
LA Angels
LA Angels
MLB
7/23/2023, 4:05 PM
San Diego
San Diego @
Detroit
Detroit
MLB
7/23/2023, 5:35 PM
Kansas City
Kansas City @
NY Yankees
NY Yankees
MLB
7/23/2023, 5:35 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Washington
Washington
MLB
7/23/2023, 5:40 PM
Philadelphia
Philadelphia @
Cleveland
Cleveland
MLB
7/23/2023, 5:40 PM
Baltimore
Baltimore @
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
MLB
7/23/2023, 5:40 PM
Arizona
Arizona @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
MLB
7/23/2023, 5:40 PM
Colorado
Colorado @
Miami
Miami
MLB
7/23/2023, 6:10 PM
Atlanta
Atlanta @
Milwaukee
Milwaukee
MLB
7/23/2023, 6:10 PM
Chi. White Sox
Chi. White Sox @
Minnesota
Minnesota
MLB
7/23/2023, 6:20 PM
St. Louis
St. Louis @
Chi. Cubs
Chi. Cubs
MLB
7/23/2023, 6:35 PM
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers @
Texas
Texas
MLB
7/23/2023, 8:07 PM
Houston
Houston @
Oakland
Oakland
MLB
7/23/2023, 8:07 PM
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh @
LA Angels
LA Angels
MLB
7/23/2023, 8:10 PM
Toronto
Toronto @
Seattle
Seattle
MLB
7/23/2023, 11:10 PM
NY Mets
NY Mets @
Boston
Boston
MLB
7/24/2023, 5:10 PM
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Detroit
Detroit
MLB
7/24/2023, 11:10 PM
Kansas City
Kansas City @
Cleveland
Cleveland
MLB
7/25/2023, 12:10 AM
Texas
Texas @
Houston
Houston
MLB
7/25/2023, 1:40 AM
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh @
San Diego
San Diego
MLB
7/25/2023, 1:40 AM
St. Louis
St. Louis @
Arizona
Arizona
MLB
7/25/2023, 2:10 AM
Toronto
Toronto @
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers

Last updated: Jul 18, 2:05 PM UTC

MLB Odds

Moneyline
Run Line
Total
Odds Settings
Game
Jul 17, 23 @ 11:10 PM UTC
San Francisco
San Francisco @
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
Jul 18, 23 @ 10:40 PM UTC
Milwaukee
Milwaukee @
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Jul 18, 23 @ 11:05 PM UTC
Cleveland
Cleveland @
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Jul 18, 23 @ 11:05 PM UTC
LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers @
Baltimore
Baltimore

Odds updated: Jul 18, 2:08 PM UTC