2023 MLB Futures: Best Bets For Atlanta Braves

After going 101-61, the Braves fell to the Phillies in the NLDS. But, they should be back as a major World Series contender yet again in 2023.

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Atlanta Braves Futures Bets

The 2023 MLB season begins on March 29 and BetQL is your one-stop shop for daily best bets, expert picks, public data, written analysis and more from the first pitch to the last. Before the season begins, I’m going through all 30 teams, detailing futures to target for every club and touching on some of the most intriguing storylines from around the league.

Three major rule changes will come into play this year, as a pitch timer, shift restrictions and bigger bases will be introduced. The pitch timer helped reduce game length by 25 minutes in the minors last year, shift restrictions increased batting average and decreased strikeouts and bigger bases not only improved player safety, but resulted in more steals and a better product. These changes can and most likely will have major on-field impacts, which makes predicting outcomes even more difficult in 2023.

While the Braves fell to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS last season, Atlanta went 101-61 in the regular season, including a wildly-impressive 55-26 at home (2nd-best mark in MLB). Their .443 slugging percentage was the best in the sport and they blasted 243 home runs (2nd-highest). There are many reasons to be high on this season’s club, as you’ll see below.

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Atlanta Braves Futures Bets

The 2023 MLB season begins on March 29 and BetQL is your one-stop shop for daily best bets, expert picks, public data, written analysis and more from the first pitch to the last. Before the season begins, I’m going through all 30 teams, detailing futures to target for every club and touching on some of the most intriguing storylines from around the league.

Three major rule changes will come into play this year, as a pitch timer, shift restrictions and bigger bases will be introduced. The pitch timer helped reduce game length by 25 minutes in the minors last year, shift restrictions increased batting average and decreased strikeouts and bigger bases not only improved player safety, but resulted in more steals and a better product. These changes can and most likely will have major on-field impacts, which makes predicting outcomes even more difficult in 2023.

While the Braves fell to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS last season, Atlanta went 101-61 in the regular season, including a wildly-impressive 55-26 at home (2nd-best mark in MLB). Their .443 slugging percentage was the best in the sport and they blasted 243 home runs (2nd-highest). There are many reasons to be high on this season’s club, as you’ll see below.

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Atlanta Braves Roster

The Braves made one splashy move this offseason when they acquired catcher Sean Murphy (.250, 18 HR, 66 RBI in 148 games last season) from the Oakland Athletics in a deal that sent William Contreras to the Brewers in a three-team trade. In traditional Atlanta fashion, they immediately signed Murphy to a long-term extension and have arguably the best lineup in baseball from top to bottom, even though they lost shortstop Dansby Swanson to free agency.

There are simply no holes in the lineup that I expect to look something like this: superstar Ronald Acuna, reigning NL Rookie of the Year Michael Harris, All-Star Austin Riley, elite first baseman Matt Olson, Murphy, switch-hitting second baseman Ozzie Albies, the powerful Marcell Ozuna, a healthy Eddie Rosario and promising young shortstop Vaughn Grissom. 

Keep an eye on Riley (.273, 38 HR, 93 RBI in 159 games last season), who I suspect will emerge as one of the best hitters in the game this year. He was the most effective hitter against curveballs and third-best against sliders in the entire MLB last season, per FanGraphs. If he sees more fastballs and can make some strides while attacking that pitch, he has legitimate 50-home run upside in the middle of arguably the best lineup in the sport.

This team is also loaded on the mound. Max Fried, Mike Soroka, Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton and Kyle Wright will likely make up the starting rotation when all are healthy while Raisel Iglesias, A.J. Minter, Joe Jimenez, Nick Anderson and Collin McHugh make up a solid bullpen. Pitching prospects Bryce Elder and Jared Schuster will provide important depth at the back-end of the rotation. This is a very complete team that will rack up a bunch of wins all year long.

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Atlanta Braves Best Bets

While I recognize that the NL East should be one of the best divisions in 2023, the Braves are clearly the team I want to take a positive stand on. Over 94.5 regular season wins (-114, BetRivers) and the Braves to win the NL East (+140, BetMGM) are stellar options at the moment. 

On an individual level, I don’t have any issue targeting any hitter in this lineup and view it as the best in the National League. However, Spencer Strider to lead the MLB in strikeouts (+1400, Caesars) is one of the few sleepers I’m going to heavily bet. In just 131.2 innings pitched, Strider punched out a ridiculous 202 hitters. Of all 104 starters who threw over 120.0 innings, no one sniffed Strider’s 38.3% strikeout rate (Carlos Rodon ranked second at 33.4%) and assuming that the young punchout artist can throw 175-180 innings if he stays healthy, he should certainly be in the running.

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Per BatteryPower.com, Strider noted that he wants to be more efficient so he can pitch deeper into games this year. That means mixing up his pitches, which could confuse hitters even more.

“I have the stuff to get deep into games. I think adding the changeup, consistently finding that pitch, getting it to the same level as the slider is going to help and that’s something I’ve obviously focused on. Coming into this season, I want my fastball to be consistent and have good spin. Last year it was kind of wobbling, wasn’t riding the same way and I didn’t figure that out until I got to Spring Training. It was already solidified, [I] didn’t have the opportunity to really fix it. Had to figure that out on the fly. So, making that adjustment this offseason is going to be helpful,” Strider noted.

I love the upside of Strider and his teammates heading into 2023.

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