After kicking off their second half with yet another impressive win, the Atlanta Braves (61-29) welcome the Chicago White Sox (38-55) for game two of their weekend set on Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET at Truist Park. Lance Lynn (5-8, 6.03 ERA) will look to build on his sensational start prior to the All-Star break, while the Braves send ace Spencer Strider (11-2, 3.44) to the hill.
Atlanta picked up right where they left off in the first half, posting a dominant 9-0 win over the Sox on Friday. They’re comfortably in first place in the NL East and don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, boasting a 9.5-game lead over the second-place Miami Marlins.
The South Siders have struggled in 2023. They’re in fourth place in the AL Central, but oddly enough are only 8.5 games out of first place. After playing basically .500 ball in May and June, though, they’re in a bit of a free-fall right now, losing eight of their last 10 games.
Atlanta enters as the overwhelming -315 favorites on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the White Sox +260 underdogs. The run total is set at 8.5.
White Sox-Braves picks: Saturday, July 15
Injury report
White Sox
Out: RP Liam Hendriks (elbow), SP Mike Clevinger (biceps), RP Joe Kelly (elbow), 3B Yoan Moncada (back), RP Garrett Crochet (shoulder)
Braves
Out: RP Jesse Chavez (shin), SP Max Fried (forearm), RP Dylan Lee (shoulder), SP Kyle Wright (shoulder), OF Ehire Adrianza (shoulder)
Starting pitchers
Lance Lynn vs. Spencer Strider
Lynn has a 5-8 record this season with an ERA eclipsing the 6.00 mark. Over his last seven starts, he’s got a 1-3 record with a 6.35 ERA, allowing 41 hits, including 10 home runs, in just 39.2 innings. The righty has shown a maddening ability to alternate between terrible starts (he’s allowed five or more runs a whopping seven times this season) and brilliant ones (11 strikeouts in seven innings of one-hit ball against the Toronto Blue Jays just before the All-Star break).
Strider on the hill usually means good news for Braves fans, since he’s got an 11-2 record and an ERA of 3.44 on the season — including a perfect 6-0 over his last seven starts. He has not faced the White Sox as a starter before, but he’s struck out 39 batters across 26 innings (with just four runs allowed) over his last four starts.
Over/Under pick
The Braves scored nine on their own last night, and while he was great last time out, Lynn has been struggling overall — especially with the long ball — this season. Strider may well throw a shutout, but don’t be shocked if the Braves hit the over on their own tonight.
Pick: Over 8.5
Moneyline pick
This one is pretty easy to figure out. Atlanta is one of the most dominant teams in all of baseball and seem to be on cruise control, while the White Sox can’t seem to find a way back into the win column at the moment.
Pick: Braves