The Atlanta Braves (59-42) host the San Diego Padres (50-52) in the final game of a four-game series with a 12:15 p.m. ET first pitch to kick off Thursday’s five-game MLB slate. The Braves lead the series 2-1 and have a chance to secure the series victory as their ace takes the mound Thursday afternoon at Truist Park.
The Braves won Monday’s series opener 3-2 behind six strong innings from Bryce Elder and home runs from Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies, but they dropped the second game 8-3 on Tuesday when Reynaldo López and JR Ritchie combined to allow 12 hits, six walks, and eight runs, including four home runs, over eight innings. Atlanta’s offense also struggled, going just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. The Braves responded with a 7-6 victory on Wednesday thanks largely to a six-run eighth inning, but things got dicey in the top of the ninth when San Diego scored five runs to cut the deficit to one before Raisel Iglesias struck out the final two batters to secure the win.
The Dodgers are running away with the NL West, but the Padres are still trying to remain in the National League playoff picture while hovering around the .500 mark. After a 19-2 victory in their series finale against Kansas City, San Diego dropped the opener in Atlanta in a game where it simply couldn’t generate enough offense. The Padres bounced back with a Game 2 win behind a strong outing from veteran Walker Buehler and a two-home run performance from Manny Machado. Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatís Jr. also homered, with Tatís Jr.’s 474-foot blast in the eighth inning becoming the longest home run of the 2026 MLB season. Pitching dominated much of Wednesday’s game, with Atlanta taking a 1-0 lead into the seventh inning before Merrill tied it with a solo shot. The Braves then erupted for six runs in the eighth, which proved enough to hold off the Padres despite a ninth-inning rally that featured an RBI single from Gavin Sheets, a two-RBI triple by Tatís Jr., and a two-run home run from Luis Rengifo.
The Padres are expected to hand the ball to Griffin Canning for Thursday afternoon’s series finale. Canning allowed four earned runs in 3.2 innings in his last start and is 1-8 with a 6.67 ERA this season. The Braves will counter with 10-time All-Star and 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale, who is 10-6 with a 2.06 ERA and is once again in the Cy Young race, currently holding the fourth-shortest odds (+750) to win the award at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook.
Padres vs. Braves Current Odds
The Braves are listed as significant home favorites at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook with a clear pitching advantage on Thursday afternoon:
Padres vs. Braves Predictions
There’s day baseball in Atlanta, meaning an early opportunity to get in on the MLB action at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook. Be sure to check out the Stats Hub for baseball betting insights and trends to help inspire wagers like the pick below:
Braves vs. Padres Best Bet: Chris Sale Under 1.5 Earned Runs (-110)
While the Padres’ offense has significantly improved in July, they’re still among the worst teams in MLB in several major statistical categories when you zoom out and look at the season as a whole. Even with their recent success, they face a difficult task Thursday afternoon against one of the game’s best pitchers.
Chris Sale is putting together yet another outstanding season for the Braves and is coming off a start in which he tossed seven scoreless innings while allowing just two hits on July 17. The 37-year-old also looked sharp two starts ago before the All-Star break on July 10, allowing just two hits and no earned runs through three innings against St. Louis before a nearly three-hour rain delay ended his outing.
To put Sale’s 2026 season into perspective, he has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 15 of his 18 starts and three or fewer in 17 of those outings. He’s also surrendered one or fewer earned runs in 12 starts this season and has recorded six scoreless outings, including each of his last two. The most earned runs Sale has allowed in a game this year was six back on April 6.
It’s a risky play with his earned runs line set at 1.5, but the numbers support it.
- Braves vs. Padres Player Prop Pick for July 23: Chris Sale Under 1.5 Earned Runs (-110)
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props for SD-ATL
Matt Olson is one of the best all-around hitters in MLB, so it’s no surprise that his home run and hits props are drawing the most action heading into Thursday afternoon’s first pitch:
- Matt Olson – Home Runs Over 0.5
- Matt Olson – Hits Over 0.5
- Michael Harris II – To Record 1+ Hits
- Fernando Tatís Jr. – Hits Over 0.5
- Drake Baldwin – Hits Over 0.5
Padres vs. Braves Game Info
- 📍 Where: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
- 📅 Date: Thursday, July 23
- ⏰ First Pitch: 12:15 PM ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: MLB.TV
- ⚾ Probable Pitchers:
- Padres: Griffin Canning
- Braves: Chris Sale
More Ways to Bet
One swing can cash your ticket, but until then, Florida players can keep things interesting with Real Money Games powered by Past Motor Racing, only on Hard Rock Bet. It’s another way to stay engaged between plate appearances.
Referenced odds are subject to change.
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