The Atlanta Braves enjoyed a walk-off win at Truist Park on Saturday evening. That victory vaulted the Braves to a 1-0 series lead against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, with the two teams facing off again in Atlanta on Sunday night. The Braves will send Ian Anderson to the mound for Game 2. The Dodgers will counter with Max Scherzer after utilizing a bullpen game in the series opener.
First pitch is at 7:38 p.m. ET in Atlanta. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Dodgers as -180 favorites (risk $180 to win $100) on the money line, while the over-under, or total number of runs Vegas thinks will be scored, is 7.5 in the latest Dodgers vs. Braves odds. Before you make any Braves vs. Dodgers picks, be sure to check out the MLB predictions from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.
This model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, enters the second week of the 2021 MLB playoffs with a 207-175 record on top-rated MLB money-line picks, returning well over $700. It also had a banner 2019 season, the league’s last full schedule, returning more than $1,400 on its top-rated money-line and run-line MLB picks. Anyone following it has seen some huge returns.
Now, the model has dialed in on Dodgers vs. Braves and released its coveted 2021 NLCS picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s NLCS picks. Here are the MLB odds and betting lines for Braves vs. Dodgers:
- Dodgers vs. Braves money line: Dodgers -180, Braves +165
- Dodgers vs. Braves over-under: 7.5 runs
- Dodgers vs. Braves run line: Dodgers -1.5 (-110)
- LAD: The Dodgers are 50-35 in 2021 road games
- ATL: The Braves are 45-38 at home this season
Featured Game | Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Why you should back the Dodgers
The Dodgers are not only talented and productive, but they are also deep. Los Angeles had seven different position players post an OPS of at least .832 over large samples in the regular season, and 10 different players blasted double-digit home runs. The Dodgers led the National League in scoring with 830 runs, and Los Angeles was MLB’s best team in run differential (+269). While Atlanta has very strong position players as well, the Dodgers have a clear depth advantage which could manifest in a playoff environment.
Los Angeles also has tremendous run prevention tools. The Dodgers led the NL in runs allowed (561) and team ERA (3.01), with the No. 1 mark in hits allowed and the No. 2 mark in strikeouts. Starting pitching is always big in the playoffs, but Los Angeles has navigated the postseason environment using openers, and the Dodgers finished No. 2 in the NL with a 3.16 ERA from their bullpen in 2021.
Why you should back the Braves
Atlanta’s offense has been excellent all season, including a penchant for the long ball. The Braves were No. 3 in the National League in runs scored (790), with the No. 2 mark in both home runs (237) and slugging percentage (.435). After a midseason roster makeover, Atlanta was even better and more powerful offensively. The Braves hit more home runs (116) than any other NL team after the All-Star break, and Atlanta posted a .447 slugging percentage in that same timeframe.
Austin Riley enjoyed a breakout regular season, blasting 33 home runs with a .531 slugging percentage, and he joins with Ozzie Albies (30 home runs, 20 stolen bases, 103 runs, 106 runs batted in) and 2020 NL MVP Freddie Freeman (31 home runs, .393 on-base percentage) in forming a truly potent group. Atlanta is also equipped for the postseason with a deep bullpen, as the team’s relievers posted a 3.97 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning over the course of 162 games.
How to make Braves vs. Dodgers NLCS picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the run total, projecting 7.3 combined runs. It also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only get the model’s MLB picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Dodgers vs. Braves in Game 2 of the 2021 National League Championship Series? And which side has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of Dodgers vs. Braves you need to jump on Sunday, all from the model that has crushed its MLB picks, and find out.
