The Yankees and Braves will start the second half of the MLB season with a series in Atlanta. Tonight's Yankees vs. Braves game first pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. ET.
We’ll break down today’s Yankees vs. Braves predictions and player picks for PrizePicks MLB, including pitcher and hitter projections to target today.
The Yankees held a firm grip on the American League East, but they now sit in second, as the Blue Jays got hot, including a four-game sweep vs. the Yankees. The Braves weren’t able to recover after a brutal start to the season, although Ronald Acuña Jr. has been incredible since returning from injury. If they don't come out hot, they could become sellers as the trade deadline approaches.
Tonight, the Yankees will start RHP Ian Hamilton (1-0, 3.47 ERA) as an opener — a strange move out of the All-Star break — against Braves Spencer Strider (3-7, 3.94 ERA), who is still getting back to full speed following Tommy John surgery.
Be sure to head to the PrizePicks MLB board to lock in your MLB predictions to get in on the real money MLB action before the first pitch of Yankees vs. Braves tonight from Atlanta.
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Yankees vs. Braves Predictions – Friday, July 18
Here are the top Yankees vs. Braves predictions and player picks on PrizePicks for tonight’s game on PrizePicks. Click to read more about each MLB pick for Friday, July 18.
- Braves P Spencer Strider – 4.5 Hits Allowed
- Yankees LF Cody Bellinger – 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBIs
- Yankees CF Aaron Judge – 6.5 Hitter Fantasy Score
Braves SP Spencer Strider – 4.5 Hits Allowed
- Braves SP Spencer Strider has allowed five or more hits in seven of ten starts this season.
- We’ve seen a regression from Strider in his return year from Tommy John surgery, which includes his velocity. The 95.6 MPH on his four-seam fastball is the lowest of his career.
- That regression has allowed hitters to hit that pitch very well, resulting in a .465 expected slugging percentage.
- The Yankees were one of the top offenses in the first half, including having the fourth-most hits per game (8.72).
- Strider's pitcher fantasy score projection is set at 39.5 on PrizePicks, which he has gone less than in three of his last five games.
Yankees LF Cody Bellinger – 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBIs
- After a rough 2024 season, Yankees OF Cody Bellinger has been excelling, with a .455 xSLG, which is his best since 2020.
- He went into the All-Star break playing well and exceeded this hits+runs+RBIs projection in four of his last five games.
- The biggest key to his success is his ability to make contact. This season, his 19.1% whiff rate is in the 79th percentile, and his 29.1% squared up percentage is in the 78th percentile among all hitters.
Yankees RF Aaron Judge – 6.5 Hitter Fantasy Score
- Yankees OF Aaron Judge had one of the best first halves in recent memory and finished in the top 1% of many hitting categories, including xwOBA, xSLG, and barrel percentage.
- Judge has exceeded this number in two of his last three games.
- Judge has hit safely in seven of his last eight road games.
- Spencer Strider’s two main pitches are his four-seam fastball and slider. Judge handles both of those pitches very well with a .460 wOBA against the slider and .566 against the four-seam fastball.
- Judge was the second most popular player pick on PrizePicks in the first half of the MLB season, with 9.4 million picks.
Make MLB Predictions on PrizePicks
The Yankees head to Atlanta to take on the Braves to begin the second half of the 2025 MLB season.
This matchup between the Yankees vs. Braves has plenty of star power to consider on PrizePicks.
There are a ton of options on player stat projections available to make MLB predictions on to win real money. Just pick at least two player stat projections to build your Lineup on PrizePicks.
Check out the Playbook throughout the remainder of the MLB season for more analysis for your PrizePicks and MLB DFS Lineups.
