Tip your hat to the Atlanta Braves, with their respectable 81-69 record. They're going up against the host team, Cincinnati Reds, whose win-loss record is a bit wanting to say the least, clocking at 73-78. Now, no slight intended to Cincinnati fans, but the numbers... well the numbers don't lie.
While Braves' starting pitcher, Spencer Schwellenbach, has an ERA of 3.80 and a whopping 10 K/9, look over at Reds' pitcher, Jakob Junis, and you see an ERA of 2.88, but a modest K/9 at 7.1. An interesting contrast to note is that Schwellenbach’s pitching is akin to an artist painting broad strokes on a canvas - hard to comprehend but effective somehow, while Junis, is more mathematician than artist - cold, calm and precise.
On the subject of artistry, we got some serious sluggers coming to the plate. Let's not ignore the elephant in the room, Ramon Laureano from Braves touting a .317 batting average, 11 RBIs and 2 home runs. Oh, the fireworks we can expect from him! On the other hand, Reds' shining star is Tyler Stephenson with an almost equal batting average of .315 and 12 RBIs. Now, that's a lot of power coming from two catchers.
Past matchups show a slight advantage for the Reds with three out of last five games going their way, but the margin has been slim. But let's remind ourselves, past is past. The more interesting thing to analyze here is the recent performance of these two teams and it’s clear that momentum has a Southern drawl with a Braves win in four of their last five games, while the Reds are splitting hairs with their most recent at 50-50.
Don't ignore the venue either, The Great American Ballpark, it's a hitters’ dreamscape and bodes well for both Laureano and Stephenson. The Reds will feel right at home here, and if the weather plays their tune, it wouldn’t be surprising to see balls flying out of the park left, right, and center.
Let's cap this off, considering the frontline pitching advantage and the fearsome top order of the Braves, I would say Braves have an edge despite an unfavorable venue. But, don't discount the Reds just yet! With Stephenson in the ranks and the home ground support, they might just surprise us.
Albert’s Prediction: Atlanta Braves by 2