The Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks lock horns in the third contest of a four-game set at Chase Field in Phoenix, so we have prepared the best betting pick for this National League showdown set for Wednesday, September 22, 2021, with the first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.

Excluding the second game of this series, the Braves are 5-2 in their last seven meetings with the Diamondbacks, while the two teams split their first four encounters in 2021. Atlanta opens at -187 for Wednesday’s clash, according to Bookmaker Sportsbook, and the totals are listed at 9.0 runs.  

The Braves continue their ten-game road trip          

The Atlanta Braves smashed Arizona this past Monday, 11-4, and improved to 78-70 on the season. They scored seven runs in the fifth inning, while Adam Duvall tattooed a 483-feet two-run homer. Freddie Freeman was 3-for-5 with a couple of runs and RBI, and Austin Riley also went 3-of-5 but for three RBI.

It was the Braves’ second straight win and third over their last eight outings. Despite their poor run of results, the Braves were topping the NL East three games ahead of Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Ian Anderson will toe the slab Wednesday and face off against the D-backs for the first time in his career. The 23-year-old right-hander is 7-5 with a 3.75 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 22 starts this season (115.1 innings pitched) but hasn’t been at his best lately. Over his previous four outings (19.1 innings), Anderson has recorded a 4.66 ERA and a terrible 7.09 FIP, allowing a .886 OPS to his opponents.

The Diamondbacks continue to struggle on both sides of the ball

The Arizona Diamondbacks fell to 48-102 on the season following that heavy loss to the Braves last Monday. It was their second defeat on the spin and 12th over their previous 15 games overall. The D-backs have struggled mightily in that stretch, losing in eight of nine outings at Chase Field.

Over the last couple of weeks, the Diamondbacks have scored 49 runs in 12 games while posting the sixth-worst OPS in the majors (.658). On the other side of the ball, they’ve compiled a pedestrian 5.35 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and a .264 batting average against.

Merrill Kelly will get the nod Wednesday, and the 32-year-old righty is 7-10 with a 4.41 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 25 starts this season. He’s had a lot of ups and downs in 2021, and over his previous four appearances (24 innings), Kelly has yielded 12 earned runs on 32 hits and seven walks.

Trends:

Atlanta:

  • 6-1 in the last seven road games against Arizona

Arizona:

  • 1-6 in the last seven games overall
  • 1-8 in the last nine games at home
  • 1-4 in Merrill Kelly’s last five starts

Atlanta Braves vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Pick

The Braves cannot rely on Ian Anderson, but they can certainly lean on their bullpen that has registered a 2.98 ERA over the last couple of weeks while allowing a .210 BABIP. Also, the Braves should have enough firepower to torture the D-backs’ struggling pitching staff.

Atlanta has scored 57 runs in its last 12 games, slashing .256/.318/.462 and smacking 19 home runs in the process. If they continue to hit well, the Braves will come out on top.

Pick: Take Atlanta Braves at -187

The Total:

The Diamondbacks bullpen has struggled all season long. Over the past two weeks, it has recorded a 4.50 ERA and 6.29 FIP, allowing 1.80 home runs and 4.73 walks per nine innings. Hereof, I’m expecting to see a high-scoring affair, hoping for another strong performance from the Braves.

Also, I don’t trust Ian Anderson, who’s allowed four earned runs in two of his previous three starts. Merrill Kelly, on the other side, has yielded nine earned runs over his previous two starts and 9.2 frames of work.

Pick: Go over 9.0 runs at -115