The Athletics host the Atlanta Braves on July 8, 2025. First pitch from Sutter Health Park is scheduled for 10:05 p.m. ET; the game will be broadcast on NBCS-CA.
The Atlanta Braves' season is in jeopardy, as they've fallen 11 games below .500 after getting swept at home by the Baltimore Orioles. This is a critical stretch for them heading into the All-Star break. If they don't turn things around rapidly, they'll probably be sellers at the deadline.
Meanwhile, the Athletics are losers of three out of four and will try to put together a respectable end to their first half. It’ll be Didier Fuentes on the mound for Atlanta and Jeffrey Springs for the Athletics.
Find my MLB betting preview and Braves vs Athletics prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
My Braves vs Athletics Prediction
- Braves vs Athletics picks: Athletics Over 4.5 Team Total (-140, BetMGM)
My Braves vs Athletics best bet is over 4.5 runs on the A's team total. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Braves vs Athletics Odds
| Braves Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +140 | 10.5 -105o / -115u | -115 |
| Athletics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -170 | 10.5 -105o / -115u | -105 |
Braves vs Athletics Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP Didier Fuentes (ATL) | Stat | LHP Jeffrey Springs (ATH) |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | W-L | 6-6 |
| -0.1 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 0.6 |
| 9.00 / 6.88 | ERA / xERA | 4.07 /4.07 |
| 5.92/ 4.88 | FIP / xFIP | 4.77 / 4.73 |
| 1.83 | WHIP | 1.23 |
| 10.3 | K-BB% | 10.2 |
| 27.9 | GB% | 31.4 |
| 110 | Stuff+ | 94 |
| 96 | Location+ | 96 |
John Feltman’s Braves vs Athletics Preview
Atlanta Braves Betting Preview: Not Turning the Corner Yet
Fuentes is a 20-year-old right-hander who's struggled in his first 12 innings in the big leagues. He enters tonight with a 9.00 ERA and a 1.83 WHIP.
Fuentes had decent numbers at Triple-A, posting an impressive 10.57 K/9 rate in 39 innings pitched. His 4.81 ERA during that stretch doesn’t illustrate the whole story, as metrics suggest he was unfortunate while on the mound.
Fuentes features an electric fastball complemented mainly by a sweeper and a curveball. It's not a great park for pitchers, and Fuentes only had a 33% ground-ball rate in Triple-A this season.
I also don’t love the matchup for the Braves' offense despite it being a favorable hitters' park. They’re batting .225 against left-handed pitchers thus far and don't have substantial numbers against Springs.
Atlanta has a terrific lineup on paper, but the results have said otherwise thus far. It’s tough to gauge where the Braves are mentally right now, and I have no interest in laying juice on their moneyline until I see they’ve turned the corner.
Athletics Betting Preview: Explosive Lineup
It’s been a disappointing season for Springs thus far, as he's entering tonight with a 4.07 ERA. Luckily for him, the Braves have struggled against southpaws.
Springs is sporting a below-average whiff and chase rate but has an excellent hard-hit rate of 36%. Opposing hitters' exit velocity is also 88 mph.
Springs has improved since April, although he has a 4.73 ERA at home. I like tonight’s matchup for him, but it’s clear his home park isn't doing him any favors.
As for the A’s, I still think this is an underrated lineup. There’s a ton of talent throughout, and they can explode on any occasion.
It’s not as strong of a matchup as it may appear; however, they're a much better offensive unit in their home park. They could struggle early on against Fuentes until the second or third time through the order.
Braves vs Athletics Prediction, Betting Analysis
I will take an alternate approach and target the Athletics' team total. I believe Fuentes is being a bit overlooked by the market here, but there are enough supporting metrics to suggest he could eventually implode during his start.
The A’s offense is much better at home than on the road, plus Fuentes’ 33% ground-ball rate is what ultimately sold me on targeting their total.
The Braves are a mess, and I love this A’s lineup.
The Braves also have a 4.15 ERA on the road, and the ballpark won't do them any favors in that area, either. If Atlanta didn’t struggle so much against left-handed pitchers, I would target the horrific A’s bullpen and the whole game over.
I’d rather back the A’s offense here, and I feel more confident they’ll put up runs on the scoreboard, given the matchup.
Pick: Athletics Over 4.5 Team Total (-140, BetMGM)
