Mariners vs Braves Picks, Odds & Starting Pitchers (May 21)

• The Mariners and Braves meet on Sunday
• Seattle is the -120 favorite
• Read on for the odds, preview, and Mariners vs Braves picks

The Seattle Mariners (21-23, 11-11 away) will wrap up a three-game interleague series with the Atlanta Braves on Sunday at Truist Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:35 PM ET. Read on for an analysis of Mariners vs Braves.

The M’s send George Kirby to the mound for the series finale, while the Braves counter with rookie Jared Shuster, who has struggled in his first three big league starts.

Mariners vs Braves Odds

The Mariners are the favorite with -120 moneyline odds, likely because of who is on the hill for them. The Braves come back at +100. Seattle is 22-22 on the runline, while Atlanta is 20-24. Nevertheless, their overall record is still elite.

Odds as of May 20th at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Seattle vs Atlanta Probable Starters

Kirby is proving to be an absolute mainstay for the M’s. The youngster is 5-2 in eight starts with a stellar 2.46 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. The most impressive part? He’s only walked four hitters in 51.1 innings while striking out 41. Talk about pinpoint command.

George Kirby, 97mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/S9dhvOuTMy

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 15, 2023

May 15th was another quality outing for Kirby, tossing 6.2 frames against the Boston Red Sox and surrendering just one earned run on eight hits. In fact, he’s pitched at least six innings in seven straight appearances. Easily Seattle’s most reliable arm. It will be interesting to see how he does against the Braves, a team Kirby has never faced.

Kirby vs Shuster Stats

The Braves recalled Shuster earlier in the week amid their injury woes, but his time in the MLB hasn’t been great. The left-hander owns a 7.24 ERA in three starts, walking 11 in 13.2 innings. It’s a small sample size, though.

For what it’s worth, Shuster looked a lot better against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, lasting five innings and allowing three earned on three hits. Of course, he’s never faced the Mariners.

Mariners in a Rut

Seattle isn’t playing the greatest baseball in recent weeks, going 4-6 in their last 10 outings. That includes a three-game losing streak ahead of Saturday’s contest in Atlanta. While the Mariners staff has compiled an impressive 3.62 ERA, their offense isn’t exactly matching that.

They’re hitting just .228 as a group and scoring only 4.4 runs per night, which ranks 16th in the big leagues. One player Seattle needs to step up in a hurry is reigning AL Rookie of the Year, Julio Rodriguez, who is slashing a mere .211.

Braves Looking Like a Contender

There’s a reason Atlanta has the best World Series odds in the show right now at +450. Brian Snitker’s squad is 12 games above .500 and owns one of the best records in the MLB. In all facets, this team is electric, even with injuries to numerous key players.

Marcell tacks on 2️⃣#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/TjRmcwu4GD

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 20, 2023

The Braves have slugged 75 home runs while scoring 5.5 runs per contest. On the hill, the staff has a 3.51 ERA. Prior to Seattle coming to town, Atlanta took three out of four from the Rangers down in Arlington and will welcome both the Dodgers and Phillies to Truist Park next. A good test.

Mariners vs Braves Picks

I know the Braves possess a potent lineup, but I can’t bet against Kirby when he’s pitching this well. Lock in the Seattle moneyline.

Pick: Mariners moneyline -120