Total Look For Afternoon Game Between Brewers And Braves

Brewers vs. Braves, 12:20 ET

With the expansion of the playoffs in Major League Baseball, you are treated to more playoff preview-type matchups than ever before. In previous years, with just one Wild Card, there was a high chance of missing the playoffs. Now, with six teams from each league making the playoffs, you have nine teams missing instead of 11. It may not sound all that significant, but it has created an opportunity for more teams to at least remain relevant in the last stretch of the season. This afternoon, on getaway day, we have two teams that both should find their way into the playoffs as the Brewers take on the Braves.

At this point, I think it would take a pretty significant collapse for the Brewers to lose the division to the Cardinals or any other NL Central team. I'm not saying it is impossible for them to lose it. Their lead right now is six games, and the Cardinals and Brewers still have another series or more to play. However, the team has been the most consistent of all baseball teams in the division this season. The Brewers are 15 games above .500 and have done a good job of navigating a recent string of injuries. While the team doesn't have a true ace pitcher, and outside of Christian Yellich - who is battling a back issue and not in today's lineup - don't have a true superstar on the team. What they do have is a consistent club that finds ways to win both with power and contact hitting. Today, they put Frankie Montas on the hill - a player they added to the mix at the trade deadline. Montas is 5-8 on the season with a 5.03 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. He certainly seems capable of better numbers than this, but this season has been a bit of a struggle. This is just his second start for the Brewers since coming over at the deadline, but his first was a nice outing and what you would hope to get from him. In five innings against the Nationals, he allowed three earned runs on nine hits. His last start with the Reds was against the Braves, he allowed four earned runs on 10 hits and three walks over 4.1 innings.  

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 02: Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers dives back to first base against the Miami Marlins at American Family Field on October 02, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

The Braves are a team that has shown a ton of success over the past few seasons, and this season also has been a decent one from them. However, it hasn't been all rainbows and sunshine. The team has suffered through injuries over and over again, losing both big names and role players. I've said this before, but no one will feel sorry for them. The fact remains that they are seven games over .500 and they control their destiny to the Wild Card spot. If the Brewers are unlikely to lose the division with a 6 game lead, the Braves are even more unlikely to overcome the 7.5-game difference in the AL East against the Phillies. They have been playing poorly lately, losing four consecutive game and are on the verge of being swept by the Brewers after dropping a series to the Marlins. Today they have Charlie Morton on the mound. He's been a steady force for the club for multiple seasons now. Morton is 6-6 with a 3.94 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. The problem is that he is not overly consistent for the team. He throws a quality start or gives up four or more earned runs. Three hitters on the Brewers club have faced Morton multiple times, none of those three have had much success, and everyone on the Brewers are combining to hit .222 against him. 

The Braves should be able to escape with a win, but they are clearly in a slump right now. Over the past four games, all losses, they have scored just eight runs and the pitching staff has allowed 29 runs. That's not a great combination for winning baseball games, in case you weren't aware. For this one, with Montas on the mound, you have to expect the Braves can break out of the slump a bit. I'll back the over because Morton is a 50/50 shot on allowing multiple runs. Back the over 9.5 in this game.