Braves vs Reds Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for June 23 (Atlanta Extends Winning Streak in Cincinnati)

Two of the hottest teams in baseball meet head-to-head inside Great American Ball Park on Friday as the Cincinnati Reds (40-35) and Atlanta Braves (48-26) kick off an exciting weekend series.

Braves vs Reds Game Info

• Date: Friday, June 23, 2023
• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Venue: Great American Ball Park -- Cincinnati, OH
• Coverage: Bally Sports Southeast and Bally Sports Ohio

The Braves have strengthened their lead atop the NL East thanks to their eight-game winning streak, while the Reds have catapulted to the top of the NL Central thanks to their 10-game winning streak. Only one of those streaks can continue on Friday, though, as two powerful squads prepare for battle.

Braves vs Reds Odds & Spread

• All MLB betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: ATL: (-154) | CN: (+130)
• Spread: ATL: -1.5 (-102) | CIN: +1.5 (-118)
• Total: 11 -- Over: (-114) | Under: (-106)

The Braves enter this contest as road favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 6:40 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 11 runs with the Over slightly favored at -114 odds.

Braves vs Reds Betting Trends

• Atlanta is 6-1 straight up in its last seven away games.
• The total has hit the over in six of Atlanta's last nine games.
• Cincinnati is 5-0 straight up in its last five games against an NL opponent.
• The total has hit the over in eight of Cincinnati's last 12 games against Atlanta.

Braves vs Reds Prediction & Pick

The Braves will look to keep the good times going with AJ Smith-Shawver on the mound. The 20-year-old has looked solid through three appearances, giving up just 3 earned runs over 13 1/3 innings (11 strikeouts). Atlanta has earned a victory every time the 2021 draft pick has taken the mound, too.

Cincinnati will counter with Luke Weaver, who has struggled to find his groove. The eighth-year pro has posted a 6.47 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in 11 appearances. He has also allowed 18 earned runs over the course of his last four starts, which is worrisome given the talent Atlanta possesses at the plate.

In fact, head coach Brian Snitker's team ranks fourth in runs per away game (5.40) and fifth in on-base percentage on the road (.331). Stars like Ronald Acuna Jr. and Austin Riley should have no trouble peppering Weaver with powerful contact, which gives the Braves a noticeable edge on Friday night.

Final Score Prediction: Braves: 7 | Reds: 5

Braves vs Reds Best Bet

I like the Braves' chances of winning this game, but I also expect the Reds to put up a fight. After all, Cincinnati is tallying 4.79 runs per home game (No. 9 in MLB). It also wouldn't be surprising to see Smith-Shawver have a short leash if he gives up some early runs as Atlanta has used just three relievers over the last four days. That makes backing the Under on the rookie's strikeouts prop worth a shot.

Bet: AJ Smith-Shawver Under 4.5 Strikeouts (-102)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.