The Philadelphia Phillies look to close out a four-game sweep at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday Night Baseball.
The pregame narrative: The Atlanta Braves have gotten great pitching out of their last two starters, despite losing a pair of one-run games. Now, the Braves turn to rookie sensation Hurston Waldrep, who will test his mettle against an elite offence. Philly counters with southpaw Jesus Luzardo.
Check out my Braves vs. Phillies best bet for Aug. 31
Braves vs. Phillies best bet
Best Bet: Waldrep over 15.5 outs (+102)
Braves fans haven’t had much to cheer about this season, but at least Waldrep has been a great story.
The 2023 No. 24 overall pick is 4-0 with a 0.90 ERA across five starts since his MLB debut on Aug. 2. He hasn’t faced an offence like Philadelphia’s yet, but those kinds of results are undeniable.
- Aug. 2 vs. CIN: 5.2 IP, 1 ER
- Aug. 9 vs. MIA: 6.0 IP, 1 ER
- Aug. 15 vs. CLE: 6.0 IP, 0 ER
- Aug. 20 vs. CWS: 7,0 IP, 0 ER
- Aug. 26 vs. MIA: 5.1 IP, 1 ER
Before joining the big leagues, Waldrep closed out his minor league career on a tear, posting a 1.99 ERA across seven starts.
Waldrep doesn’t overpower batters, but instead deploys a five-pitch mix with variety and precision. Given that this is the Phillies’ first time seeing the 23-year-old, I’ll give the edge to the pitcher.
Also, the Braves used six relievers in yesterday’s extra-innings loss, so it would be nice to get a little length out of the young gun.
Key stat: Waldrep is averaging 18.0 outs per start.
Braves vs. Phillies best bet made at 1:00 p.m. ET on 08/31/2025.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.