Buckle up for twists and turns tonight as the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds square off in the MLB Speedway Classic.
The Reds edged a low-scoring battle last night, but I’m buying into more work for the scoreboard here.
This first-of-its-kind experience at Bristol Motor Speedway provides a unique feel, and my MLB player props target three players ready to hit top gear.
Best Braves vs Reds player props tonight
De La Cruz Over 1.5 total bases (+130)- Burns Over 1.5 walks allowed (-110)
Olson Over 0.5 RBIs (+175)
Our 3 best Braves vs Reds player props for Saturday, August 2
Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.
Elly De La Cruz Over 1.5 total bases (+130 at Caesars)
No one in this matchup fits the idea of a need for speed better than Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati’s very own speedster. He’s coming off a red-hot July where he raced to eight doubles and a triple, while hitting .306, and I expect him to be revved up here.
That recent run included three hits and three RBI against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday in a 12-11 loss.
De La Cruz has never faced Atlanta Braves starter Spencer Strider, but he’s mashed 86 of his 120 hits against righties this year. His elite speed turns singles into doubles, and that work on the basepaths could be the key to cashing this Over in one at-bat.
With De La Cruz sitting 13th in the majors in RBI, I like the pedigree for a clutch extra-base hit tonight in this spot.
Chase Burns Over 1.5 walks allowed (-110 at Caesars)
The Atlanta Braves have underperformed in a big way this season, but there are still dangerous hitters up and down this line-up, and I have my doubts about Chase Burns’ ability to stay on track here.
The Cincinnati rookie has logged a 6.26 ERA through six starts this season, and he’s issued 2+ walks in four of those outings.
Burns mixes the good with the bad — he’s piled up 10 strikeouts in three straight games — but I see him struggling to get through this Atlanta order, especially after seeing the Braves club 13 hits in Thursday’s matchup.
There’s enough menace to make him a little wayward tonight, even with Atlanta around the Top 10 in strikeouts, and I like this price for Burns to give up at least a couple of free passes.
Matt Olson Over 0.5 RBI (+175 at Caesars)
Matt Olson posted just so-so numbers in July after a terrific stretch in June, but I see him rebounding this month with more dominant performances.
He bagged his 68th RBI of the year against the Reds in Thursday’s roundest, and I’m grabbing these odds for Olson to drive in another run here.
With 47 of his RBI coming against righties, I’m counting on Olson to get the upper hand in his head-to-head clash with Burns.
The Braves have fallen short of their offensive potential this year, but it’s hard to point the finger at Olson, who’s on pace to breeze past his 2024 numbers and has a .358 OBP on the road this year. I’m pencilling him in to put Atlanta in pole position tonight.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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