Atlanta Braves: mlb FUTURES & BETTING ODDS

ATLANTA BRAVES 2021 OUTLOOK

The Braves teams in the 1990s and early 2000s that won 14-straight division championships had more than their fair share of October heartbreak, winning only one World Series title in that span, but this Atlanta team that has won three-straight NL East titles so far, perhaps has the worst playoff fate of them all last season. After taking a 3-1 lead on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, the Braves lost in seven games, holding a 3-2 lead in Game 7 into the later innings but losing on a Cody Bellinger tie-breaking home run in the seventh inning. 

The loss put a damper on an incredible season for manager Brian Snitker and the Braves, as Freddie Freeman was the National League MVP to lead an offense that was in the top five of all of MLB. 

2021 Featured Players

On the pitching front, Ian Anderson debuted last August and could possibly be the ace of the staff before too long. Max Fried and Mike Soroka (once healthy) are the other stalwarts. Charlie Morton was brought in for his October prowess, as he won a Game 7 with Houston in the World Series and then defeated the Astros in Game 7 of the ALCS last year for Tampa Bay. Drew Smyly was also brought in to serve as a veteran on the staff after a bit of a career resurgence last year with San Francisco. Mark Melancon left for San Diego, so the closer's job will be among Chris Martin, Will Smith, and A.J. Minter.

There's not much you can say about the Braves offense besides how potent it is. Freeman hit .341 and drove in 53 runs in a 60-game season in 2020 to win the NL MVP. Catcher Travis d'Arnaud had a resurgence, plus there's Marcell Ozuna, Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies, and Ender Inciarte along with third baseman Austin Riley looking like a younger version of Freeman at the plate. 

Bet on the Atlanta Braves! Atlanta Braves Odds for 2021

The Braves are among the favorites to get the job done this year and win the World Series, as a bet on the Atlanta Braves to win the Fall Classic will payout at 10/1 odds. The odds of the Atlanta Braves to win the pennant and reach the World Series for the first time since 1999 are 11/2, which is the third-best odds in the NL behind the LA Dodgers and San Diego. The Atlanta Braves odds to win the NL East is +130, which are slightly better odds than the rival Mets, who sit at +150.

Atlanta Braves Logo, Uniform & Stadium History

We mentioned before that the Braves won an unprecedented 14-straight division titles from 1991-2005 with a World Series title in 1995 serving as the crown jewel. Those clubs were managed by Bobby Cox and featured stellar pitching from Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz along with a variety of names on offense, including David Justice, Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, Fred McGriff, Terry Pendleton, Sid Bream, Brian Jordan, and more during that run. 

Prior to this current run, the club also returned to the postseason three times from 2010-13 but couldn't get past the divisional round. Freeman was just getting started on those teams, plus the Braves had Brian McCann, Justin Upton, and Dan Uggla on offense to go with pitchers Tim Hudson, Julio Teheran, Kris Medlen, and Mike Minor. 

The Braves' all-time greatest player is Hank Aaron, who recently passed away this past offseason. He was the all-time home run king with 755 home runs from 1974 until 2007. Other historical players for the Braves include Dale Murphy, Warren Spahn, Phil Niekro, and Eddie Matthews.

Atlanta has moved around quite a bit, playing at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium until 1996 before moving to Turner Field in 1997 after it hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics. The Braves moved to Truist Park in nearby Cobb County starting in 2017. 

Atlanta's uniforms have remained consistent since their run of success started in the early 1990s, wearing a navy blue cap with a red bill and an A in the front. The home white jerseys have red piping outlined in blue with "Braves" written across the front and the team's trademark tomahawk beneath it. The road grays are similar but with "Atlanta" written across the front above the tomahawk. Atlanta also has alternate red and navy blue tops along with a different white top that has "Braves" written across in different font along with a uniform number instead of the tomahawk. 

2020 Record: 35-25, First Place in National League East (Lost to LA Dodgers in NLCS)