The Major League Baseball is back, and the 2022 Opening Day brings seven games around the country, so we have prepared the best Reds vs. Braves betting pick along with the latest odds update on BetOnline Sportsbook.

The Reds and Braves open a four-game series at Truist Park in Atlanta. The hosts are listed as firm -200 favorites, while the totals sit at 8.0 runs. Last year, the Braves have won four of their seven encounters with the Reds.

The Reds look to upset the reigning champions               

The Cincinnati Reds enter the new season as big underdogs in the National League. They are predicted to win 74 games and finish fourth in the NL Central. According to BetOnline Sportsbook, Cincinnati is a +1400 out-of-towner to win the divisional title.

The Reds shopped their starting pitchers in the offseason to trim payroll. Cincy sent Sony Gray to Minnesota and released Wade Miley, who joined the Cubs. Also, the Reds traded LF Jesse Winker and 3B Eugenio Suarez to Seattle in exchange for CF Jake Fraley and RHP Justin Dunn. Joey Votto returns for his 16th season after smashing 36 home runs and 99 RBIs in 2021, while the reigning NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India should hit at the top of the lineup in 2022.

Tyler Mahle will take the mound Thursday. The 27-year-old righty will get his first Opening Day starting call after tossing 180 frames in 33 starts last season. He was 13-6 with a 3.75 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 210/64 K/BB ratio. Mahle is 0-1 with a 5.29 ERA in three career starts against the Braves.

The Braves hope for another successful season       

The Atlanta Braves are listed at +1200 to retain the World Series. The bookies consider the reigning champs as the third-best team in the National League, right behind the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. You can take Atlanta at +600 to win the National League pennant.

The Braves lost their icon in the offseason, as Freddy Freeman decided to leave Atlanta and join the Dodgers. Matt Olson, who spent the previous six years in Oakland, will replace Freeman at first base. Last year, Olson slashed .271/.371/.540 to go with 39 dingers and 111 RBIs, so the Braves hope he’ll extend his good run of form at Truist Park. Ronald Acuna Jr. is still recovering from a knee injury and should return in May.

Max Fried will face off against the Reds on Thursday to make his second consecutive Opening Day start for the Braves. The 28-year-old lefty enjoyed a wonderful second half of the 2021 season and finished with a 3.04 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 158/41 K/BB ratio. He was allowing only 0.8 homers per nine innings. Fried is 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA in one career start and a couple of relief appearances against Cincinnati.

Trends:

Cincinnati:

  • 2-8 in the last ten games on the road  
  • 3-6 in the last nine games against Atlanta  

Atlanta:

  • 11-4 in the last 15 games overall
  • 9-1 in the last ten games at home  

Cincinnati Reds vs. Atlanta Braves Pick

The first few weeks of the MLB season are always tough to bet on. Spring training is rarely a proper benchmark, so I suggest you take it slowly through April. On paper, the Braves are a better team than the Reds, whose bullpen could be a big issue in 2022 as it was this past season.

On the other side, the Braves’ bullpen is arguably one of the best in the majors. The reigning champs acquired Kenley Jansen in the offseason, while Will Smith, Tyler Matzek, A.J. Minter, and Collin McHugh are top-notch relievers.

Pick: Take Atlanta Braves at -200              

The Total:

I wouldn’t be surprised if both Mahle and Fried start the new campaign slowly. Max has struggled a lot in the first half of the 2021 season, and Tyler hasn’t impressed either. Also, the Reds’ bullpen cannot be trusted, so I would go with the over. Both teams have plenty of dangerous bats.

The over is 6-3 in the Reds’ last nine games overall and 9-2 in their previous 11 games played in April. On the other side, five of the Braves’ previous six contests played in April have gone over the total.

Pick: Go over 8.0 runs at -120