The Milwaukee Brewers won their second National League Central title in four years in 2021, finishing five games ahead of St. Louis as they recorded the fourth-highest amount of victories (95) in Major League Baseball. They’ve won only three playoff series in the 53-year history of the franchise and have lost four straight postseason contests. The Brewers look to end the slide when they host the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the 2021 NL Division Series on Friday. Milwaukee (95-67) split the six-game season series against NL East champion Atlanta (88-73), with each team winning two of three on the road.
First pitch at American Family Field is scheduled for 4:37 p.m. ET. Milwaukee sends Corbin Burnes (11-5, 2.43 ERA) to the mound against fellow right-hander Charlie Morton (14-6, 3.34). Milwaukee is the -153 favorite (risk $153 to win $100) on the money line in the latest Brewers vs. Braves odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total runs scored is seven. Before making any Braves vs. Brewers picks, you need to see what SportsLine expert Micah Roberts has to say.
Roberts has worked in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry for 20-plus years, including a 13-year run as Station Casinos’ book director. Armed with an elaborate network of sources, he has unmatched info in multiple sports.
Roberts has his finger on the pulse of the Brewers as he is 43-29-1 in his last 72 MLB picks involving the Brewers, returning well over $1,000. Anyone who has followed his picks has seen huge returns.
Now, Roberts has dialed in on Braves vs. Brewers and just released his coveted 2021 NLDS Game 1 picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the MLB odds and betting lines for Brewers vs. Braves:
- Brewers vs. Braves money line: Milwaukee -153, Atlanta +143
- Brewers vs. Braves run line: Milwaukee -1.5 (+145)
- Brewers vs. Braves over-under: 7 runs
- MIL: The Brewers are 5-0 in their last five NLDS home games
- ATL: The Braves are 7-0 in their last seven contests against teams with winning records
Featured Game | Milwaukee Brewers vs. Atlanta Braves
Why you should back the Brewers
Much of Milwaukee’s success this year can be attributed to its pitching staff, which led the majors in strikeouts (1,618) and shutouts (19) while ranking third in ERA (3.50) and fourth in WHIP (1.18). Reliever Brent Suter topped the Brewers with 12 wins while three starters reached double digits, including Burnes. The 26-year-old posted a major league-best 2.43 ERA and was second with a 0.94 WHIP while finishing fifth with 234 strikeouts.
Burnes is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in six career postseason appearances, all in relief in 2018. He faced Atlanta once in 2021, escaping with a no-decision after yielding five runs and nine hits over four innings. Despite the loss of Devin Williams (hand), Milwaukee still has a strong bullpen that features Suter, Brad Boxberger and closer Josh Hader, who was fourth in the NL with 34 saves and recorded 102 strikeouts in 58 ⅔ innings.
Why you should back the Braves
Morton is a seasoned playoff performer with a 7-3 record and 3.38 ERA in 13 career postseason games, 12 of which were starts. The 37-year-old was among the top starters in the NL this year, tying for fifth in wins, sixth in strikeouts (216) and seventh in WHIP (1.04). Morton suffered a hard-luck loss in his only turn of the season against Milwaukee on Aug. 1 despite allowing only two runs and three hits over six innings.
In his third major-league season, Austin Riley topped the Braves with a .303 batting average, 33 home runs and 107 RBIs — all career bests. The 24-year-old third baseman finished second in the NL in the latter category behind current teammate Adam Duvall, who led the senior circuit with a career-high 113 RBI as he recorded 45 in 55 games after being acquired from Miami at the end of July. Riley was especially dangerous at the plate in the second half of the season, when he batted .333 with 19 homers, 65 RBIs and a .976 OPS.
How to make Braves vs. Brewers picks
Roberts is leaning under on the run total and he has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the money line. He’s sharing his MLB picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Brewers vs. Braves in the 2021 NLDS Game 1? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the money line a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the money line to jump on, all from the MLB expert who has crushed his Milwaukee picks, and find out.
