There are 13 games on the MLB schedule for Wednesday, August 28th, and one of the more interesting matchups is Braves vs. Twins. This one is taking place at Target Field in Minneapolis and both teams are 72-60. The money line odds have the Braves at -146 compared to the Twins at +124. Chris Sale will start for the Braves, while the Twins are going with David Festa.
Atlanta is currently on a two-game winning streak and is 2nd in the NL East, while the Twins have lost three straight and are 3rd in the AL Central. The over/under line is currently at 7.5 runs, and BSN will be televising this interleague matchup.
Atlanta vs. Minnesota Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Braves at Twins
- Where: Target Field Minneapolis
- Date: Wednesday, August 28th
- Betting Odds ATL -146 | MIN +124 O/U 7.5
Braves vs Twins Last Game Recap
Atlanta picked up an 8-6 road win over the Twins in the most recent game of this series. The Braves had a huge 10th inning, scoring four runs and picking up a 8-6 win. Heading into the game, the Braves were favored at -113 on the money line.
Spencer Schwellenbach only went 4 2/3 innings for the Braves but didn't give up a run and finished with eight strikeouts. Raisel Iglesias got the win out of the bullpen, and Jhoan Duran took the loss for the Twins.
Michael Harris II and Ramon Laureano each had three hits and two RBIs for the Braves' offense. Marcell Ozuna and Matt Olson also had two hits and two RBIs apiece.
Braves Preview
Atlanta has been playing well lately, winning their last four series and going 8-2 in their last 10 games. They are currently on a two-game winning streak against the Twins and have an overall record of 72-60, placing them six games behind the Phillies in the NL East.
When favored, the Braves have a 61-47 record this season, and their average run margin in winning games is +3.6. The O/U line for today's game is 7.5 runs, which is lower than their season average of 8.2 runs per game. So far, their O/U record in games with a 7.5 run line is 9-15.
Chris Sale gets the start for the Braves today as he faces the Twins on the road. So far this season, he has made 24 starts and has a record of 14-3 with an ERA of 2.62. Sale's WHIP for the season is currently 1.02. In his 24 appearances, he has turned in 14 quality starts and is averaging 11.64 strikeouts per nine innings. Sale's last outing came on August 23rd, where he finished with a no-decision, giving up two earned runs in seven innings of work. Before that outing, he had won two straight starts.
Marcell Ozuna has been the Braves' top hitter so far this season, batting .308 with a team-high 37 home runs and 98 RBIs. Matt Olson is also a power threat in the lineup, but he is batting just .231 for the season. However, Olson has gone 9/35 in his last nine games, with two homers and 10 RBIs.
As a team, the Braves are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 16th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road, averaging 4.6 runs per game. Overall, they are the league's 4th best home run hitting team and have the 12th best slugging percentage in the league.
Twins Preview
Minnesota is 72-60 overall and 3rd in the AL Central, 2.5 games behind the Guardians for the division lead. The Twins have lost three straight games and two straight series. Their overall series record is 24-15-3.
This season, the Twins are 56-35 as favorites and 16-25 as underdogs. They have a 64-68 run line record, going 36-31 on the road and 28-37 at home. Minnesota's games have averaged 9.3 runs per game, and they have hit the over in 68 of their 128 games.
Through seven starts, David Festa has a record of 2-3 and an ERA of 5.20 for the Twins. His WHIP for the season is 1.32. In his most recent outing, Festa took the loss, going 3 2/3 innings and giving up three earned runs on five hits. He also allowed two homers in that outing. Festa has given up at least one homer in each of his last three starts. Opponents are batting .242 this season off the right-hander. Festa has a BB/9 figure of 2.72 compared to 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings.
As a team, the Twins are 7th in scoring at 4.9 runs per game, and they have been even better at home, averaging 5.1 runs per contest. Overall, they are 7th in home runs and have the 6th best team batting average in the league. Minnesota also doesn't strike out a ton, as their 8 strikeouts per game is the 10th best mark in the league.
Ryan Jeffers has been the Twins' top power threat this season, as he is 1st on the team with 20 homers and is also 1st in RBIs with 59. Jeffers is also coming off a strong stretch, going 3/8 in his last two games with a home run. Over his last five games, Trevor Larnach is batting .455 with two homers and 8 RBIs. Matt Wallner has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 8/21 with three homers in his last six games.
Braves vs. Twins Prediction: Twins ML +124
With the Twins being the underdogs at +124, that is the way we recommend playing this one. We have the Twins winning this game by a score of 5-4. If you are looking for a parlay, you could look to pair the Twins with the under, as the line is sitting at 7.5 runs.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Chris Sale going nine innings and finishing with six strikeouts. As for David Festa, he is projected to go 5 2/3 innings and finish with four strikeouts.
