
Cincinnati Reds

Atlanta Braves
(-110/-110)-200
The Atlanta Braves will host the Cincinnati Reds on May 8, 2025, in what marks the fourth game of their series. Currently, the Braves are struggling with a record of 17-19, placing them below average this season. In contrast, the Reds sit at a balanced 19-19, reflecting an average performance. The Braves are coming off a narrow loss against the Reds, falling 4-3 in their last outing on May 7, 2025.
On the mound, Atlanta is projected to start Spencer Schwellenbach, who has been ranked as the 21st best starting pitcher in MLB, indicating his potential despite a 1-3 record and a solid ERA of 3.92. Schwellenbach’s 3.18 xFIP suggests he may have been a bit unlucky this season, projecting to allow an average of just 2.1 earned runs today. However, he has struggled with hits allowed, projected to give up 5.2 hits and 1.2 walks, which could be problematic against a Reds lineup that ranks 12th in MLB offensively.
Cincinnati will counter with Nick Lodolo, who has an average ERA of 3.27 and a 3-3 record. While Lodolo’s performance has been decent, projections indicate he could allow more runs today, with an average of 3.0 earned runs expected. His recent outing was also rocky, giving up 6 earned runs in his last start.
With the Braves favored at -200, the betting community is optimistic about their chances, especially considering the Reds’ struggles against right-handed pitchers. Atlanta’s offense, while ranked 16th overall, has the potential to capitalize on Lodolo’s vulnerabilities, making this matchup intriguing for bettors looking to back the Braves in a bounce-back game.
Cincinnati Reds Insights
- Nick Lodolo – Over/Under 4.5 Strikeouts (-145/+115)Nick Lodolo’s higher usage rate of his secondary pitches this season (49% vs. 43.7% last season) ought to work in his favor since they are typically much more effective than fastballs.Explain: A pitcher who limits has fastball usage will instead heavily use change-ups, curveballs, sliders, etc. These are far more effective pitches at preventing runs and generating strikeouts.
- Elly De La Cruz – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+135/-175)Elly De La Cruz has seen a big gain in his exit velocity on flyballs this year; just compare his 96.5-mph average to last season’s 94-mph EV.Explain: Most home runs are flyballs, and the harder those flyballs are hit, the more often they turn into home runs. This is a strong indicator of power.
- The Cincinnati Reds have 3 hitters in their projected offense today with a high (i.e. over 27%) underlying K% (per the leading projection system, THE BAT X) (Elly De La Cruz, Rece Hinds, Matt McLain).Explain: Teams that have multiple high-strikeout hitters will make it much easier for the opposing pitcher to record strikeouts
Atlanta Braves Insights
- Atlanta Braves – Moneyline (-200)Out of every team today, the 2nd-best infield defense is that of the the Atlanta Braves.Explain: Defense is an integral part of preventing hits and runs.
- Ozzie Albies – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+115/-145)Extreme flyball hitters like Ozzie Albies tend to be more successful against extreme groundball pitchers like Nick Lodolo.Explain: This mostly has to do with the way the hitter’s swing plane interacts with the pitch trajectory, and it can create boosted performance across all categories and hidden value few are considering.
- Atlanta’s 89.8-mph average exit velocity this year ranks among the best in baseball: #7 overall.Explain: Hitting the ball hard increases the chances of either a home run or the ball landing in fair territory for a hit before a fielder can get to it.
Betting Trends
- Atlanta Braves – Over/Under 4.5 Team Total (-115/-115)The Atlanta Braves have hit the Team Total Under in their last 6 games (+6.00 Units / 83% ROI)
- Over/Under 8.0 Game Total (-110/-110)The Cincinnati Reds have hit the Game Total Under in their last 5 away games (+5.00 Units / 93% ROI)
- TJ Friedl – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+145/-190)TJ Friedl has hit the Total Bases Over in 17 of his last 25 away games (+6.00 Units / 15% ROI)