Atlanta Braves @ Miami Marlins - June 22, 2025

As I sit back and prepare for today’s matchup between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park, my mind drifts back to the myriad of game strategies I’ve witnessed over my coaching years. Both teams have shown their respective strengths and weaknesses throughout this season, but a deeper analysis points toward a favorable outcome for the Braves today.

On the mound, we have Bryce Elder taking his turn for Atlanta. While his record stands at 2-3 with a 4.45 ERA, it’s crucial to consider that he has displayed some moments of brilliance on the mound, particularly highlighted by his impressive strikeout rate of just over 9 per game. This is where Elder can separate himself from many pitchers – he knows how to handle pressure situations and deliver critical outs when it matters most.

Contrastingly, Sandy Alcantara takes the ball for Miami. With a win-loss record of 3-8 and an ERA hovering around 5.1, Alcantara has struggled significantly this season. His inability to consistently command his pitches has resulted in giving up runs, which is evident in Miami’s current batting statistics — they average just over four runs per game while holding a below-average batting average of .246. The numbers indicate that they’ve been less than effective in capitalizing on scoring opportunities.

From my coaching days, I’ve always emphasized how crucial it is for pitchers to maintain control early in games. If Alcantara cannot find his rhythm quickly against a lineup like Atlanta’s — which averages around 4.2 runs per game — they may well expose him early on, as seen in their previous meeting when they managed to shut out Miami entirely with a resounding 7-0 victory.

The Braves are riding high after that last performance; they’ve gone 4-1 SU in their last five games and are demonstrating consistent resilience by finding ways to secure wins even amid struggles earlier this season. Furthermore, with both teams showing trends leaning towards unders recently (with Atlanta hitting under in four of their last five), you might think today’s total would reflect that tendency.

However, I believe there’s an opportunity here for runs today despite what statistics suggest about each team’s recent performances. Given both pitchers’ tendencies—Elder could be effective but will likely concede some runs if pressured while Alcantara struggles—it opens up avenues for scoring potential that may push this game beyond the opening total line set at eight-and-a-half runs.

So as fans settle into their seats today at loanDepot park anticipating an engaging battle between these two teams, I’m predicting that the Braves will continue their winning momentum against Miami while exceeding expectations on run totals as well—look out for some exciting offensive showcases!