Braves vs. Marlins: Early Odds and Preview for NLDS After Wild Card

John Bazemore/Associated Press

After a record-tying streak of 10 consecutive postseason round losses, the Atlanta Braves took their Wild Card Round matchup against the Cincinnati Reds and clinched a spot in the National League Division Series. 

Atlanta also owned a more positive historical mark with their sweep of the Reds; in its two shutout wins, it became the first club in playoff history to hold an opponent scoreless over the first 22 innings of a series, per MLB.com. 

There, the Braves will be joined by the Miami Marlins, who knocked the Chicago Cubs out of playoff contention Friday in a 2-0 decision that was never really competitive. 

The Marlins themselves reach the playoffs this year for the first time since they won it all in 2003; their 16-season postseason drought was the second-longest active streak in Major League Baseball.

However, when the Marlins make it to the playoffs, they tend to do pretty well; the two times they made the postseason in franchise history, 1997 and 2003, they won the World Series. 

Let’s take a closer look at both teams’ odds heading into the best-of-five series and break down what to watch for in this NLDS showdown.

Braves vs. Marlins NLDS Series Schedule

Series Start Date: Oct. 6

Series Format: Best-of-five

Location: Minute Maid Park, Houston

Game 1: Tuesday, Oct. 6, Time TBD, MLBN or FS1

Game 2: Wednesday, Oct. 7, Time TBD, MLBN or FS1

Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 8, Time TBD, MLBN or FS1

Game 4: Friday, Oct. 9, Time TBD, MLBN or FS1

Game 5: Saturday, Oct. 10, Time TBD, MLBN or FS1 

Braves vs. Marlins Series Odds

Odds will be available at DraftKings once series prices are set. 

The Braves and the Marlins head into their NLDS series with at least four days’ rest and a chance to reset their pitching rotations. 

Atlanta will hope to ride Ian Anderson’s hot hand; the 22-year-old right-handed pitcher allowed only two hits and recorded nine strikeouts over six scoreless innings.

Per MLB.com, he became only the fourth pitcher in club history to throw six or more scoreless innings in his first career postseason appearance. 

The last time the Braves were in the postseason in 2003, Anderson was just three years old. 

“He looks like a veteran pitcher out there,” teammate Ronald Acuña Jr. said through an interpreter, per MLB’s Mark Bowman. “He never seems too anxious. He always seems to keep his emotions in check. He’s a tremendous pitcher.”

The Marlins may have only spent $70 million on their payroll in 2020 compared to the Cubs’ $191 million, but it didn’t seem to matter as Miami swept Chicago in the Wild Card Round. 

Only three games into the 2020 season, the Marlins dealt with a coronavirus outbreak that sidelined 18 players, so it’s a testament to their determination that they were able to work their way back and win a playoff series. 

The Marlins also have their own 22-year-old phenom whom they’re hoping will carry them far this postseason. Sixto Sanchez threw 100-mph fastballs and, over five innings, struck out six Cubs, giving up four hits and walking two.

The Braves went 6-4 against the Marlins this year, winning three out of four games in the last week of regular-season play to clinch the NL East.