First pitch for the Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies game set for 6:40 p.m. ET on Friday, April 17, with the Braves entering as small road favorites and returning a 1.81x payout if they win, via PrizePicks.
These are two NL East division rivals playing different levels of baseball right now, with the Braves leading the race early by three games overall and 3.5 over the Phillies. This is the opener for a three-game set between these teams and the first of 13 games they'll play against each other this season.
Below, we'll break down our Braves vs. Phillies prediction and picks for Friday's MLB game, including the spread, over/under, and key player picks for PrizePicks.
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Braves vs. Phillies Prediction, Spread, Over/Under – Friday, April 17
The Braves have started this season in fine form, sitting at 12-7 with the third-best record in the major leagues. This squad may finally be playing to its full potential after a couple of average seasons in 2024 and 2025.
Atlanta has shown that its batting order has a level of depth not displayed in years past, perhaps highlighted by C Drake Baldwin. Baldwin had a fantastic rookie season, slashing .274 with a 125 wRC+, and he looks ready to take another step forward.
This year, Baldwin is slashing .321/.384.551 with a 161 wRC+. He leads the Braves in at-bats, hits, and home runs, and his high-contact approach fits beautifully behind OF Ronald Acuna Jr.
The Phillies' bats have been pretty cold, especially given the talent in their order. It seemed that Philly was rounding the corner about a week ago, but back-to-back bad home losses to the Chicago Cubs, 11-2 and 10-4, have encapsulated the disappointing vibe around this club.
Philadelphia needs its offense to wake up and complement some quality pitching if it hopes to compete in the NL East.
Braves vs. Phillies Spread, Over/Under – Friday, April 17
The Braves enter Friday’s game as road favorites against the Cubs, returning a 1.81x payout if they win outright, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
Here are the full payouts for the Braves vs. Phillies game on PrizePicks.
- Spread: Atlanta Braves -1.5 (2.27x payout)
- Over/Under: 9.5 (1.88x payout on Over)
- Game Winner Payout: Braves 1.81x | Phillies 1.92x
Play the Braves vs. Phillies spread or over/under on PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money — available in 35 states!
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Braves vs. Phillies Prediction on Spread – 4/17/26
Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Braves vs. Phillies prediction on the Spread for Friday, April 17.
Lock in your Braves vs. Phillies prediction on PrizePicks before the line moves.
- The Phillies have been the worst team at covering the run line, going 4-14 (22.2%) against the spread (ATS).
- Their main issue has been a lack of offensive production; they rank 21st in the majors in wRC+ (94).
- Perhaps more concerning is Philly's .275 BABIP, which is only slightly below the league average.
- The Braves, meanwhile, rank third in wRC+ (121).
- Both projected starters have lost some firepower, with Taijuan Walker sporting a career 4.39 xFIP and Martin Perez at 4.52. Perez does hold a left-handed platoon advantage against some of the Phillies' best hitters in DH Kyle Schwarber and 1B Harper, though.
- The Philly bullpen has been a massive bright spot, owning the second-best xFIP at a minuscule 3.25. With that said, the Braves aren't too far behind with a 3.62 mark that's fourth.
Braves vs. Phillies Player Picks, Stats for PrizePicks: 4/17/26
Here are the top Braves vs. Phillies picks to target on PrizePicks for Friday, April 17. Today’s MLB picks for PrizePicks include C Drake Baldwin and SP Taijuan Walker.
Braves C Drake Baldwin vs. Phillies Projection: 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs
- Baldwin has cleared this projection in 15 of his 19 games (79%) and has a beautiful matchup against Walker tonight.
- For the last 10 years, Walker has had a higher xFIP against LHH than RHH. That includes this season, in which he's also allowing a whopping 3.48 HR/9 and a 23.1% line-drive rate to lefties.
- Baldwin owns a LD% of 21.4% against RHP. Line drives are the most productive of all contact types, producing an average BABIP between .600 and .700.
- The reigning NL Rookie of the Year also has a 50% hard-hit rate against right-handed pitchers.
Add Drake Baldwin to your PrizePicks Lineup now.
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Phillies SP Taijuan Walker vs. Braves Projection: 3 Strikeouts
- The Braves are striking out just 19.6% of the time, the fourth-fewest in the majors.
- Walker owns a SwStr% (swinging strike rate) of just 7%, which is well below the league average and is even lower than last year's 7.4% mark, when it was accompanied by a K/9 of just 6.26.
- Taijuan has struggled with walks basically his entire career but has been at his worst this season with a 4.30 BB/9. If it holds, that'll be a new personal worst.
- Given that the Phillies are coming out of a day off and have a rested bullpen, Walker could be on a short leash should he struggle on Friday.
Add Taijuan Walker to your PrizePicks Lineup now.
Make Braves vs. Phillies Picks on PrizePicks
Atlanta vs. Philadelphia is just one of 15 games on this massive Friday MLB slate. Which NL East squad will come out on top in this one?
Don’t wait until lock — make your Braves vs. Phillies picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.
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