Will Stanton, Marlins rebound vs. Braves?
The Braves haven’t suddenly morphed into titans of the National League East. A trip to South Beach, though, has worked wonders for a group that hardly looked big-league-worthy through the first nine games.
Zeroing in on a sweep of the Marlins, Atlanta sends impressive new righty Jhoulys Chacin to the hill at 1:10 p.m. ET. Oddsmakers at online sports book Bovada.lv still need to see more out of Fredi Gonzalez’s club, listing it as a 1.5-run underdog in the series finale. The over/under total comes in at eight runs.
Two afternoons ago, the Braves knocked off Miami for their first victory of 2016. Yesterday turned out to be just as satisfying given Freddie Freeman’s contributions to the cause. The first baseman, saddled with a .125 average, produced a big RBI double in the visitors’ 6-4 triumph. Outfielder Nick Markakis (.341) also delivered three hits and three RBIs.
The veterans performing at the plate hope for similar prowess from this afternoon’s starting pitcher. Chacin nailed his team debut on Tuesday at Washington, striking out eight in six scoreless innings. Talk about an exceedingly optimistic sign following nearly four injury-plagued seasons.
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On the other side, Jarred Cosart (0-0, 5.79 ERA) strives to prevent the Marlins’ worst home start since 1995. He’s captured all three previous meetings with Atlanta, but will the offensive support show up? Giancarlo Stanton carries a .229 mark with 13 strikeouts, and catalyst Dee Gordon’s down to a .326 on-base percentage.
The Braves’ 34-14 record in their past 48 at Miami notwithstanding, we can’t quite take the bait here. Don Mattingly’s talented crew is bound to erupt sooner rather than later. Expect an arduous time for Chacin, who remains in the process of getting stretched out.
SUNDAY MLB FREE PICK: MARLINS -1.5
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