Atlanta Braves vs Los Angeles Dodgers Prediction, 5/8/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Atlanta Braves vs Los Angeles Dodgers

Date: Friday, May 8, 2026

Location: Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA

TV: Spectrum SportsNet LA

Odds/Point Spread: Atlanta (+132) Los Angeles (-160)

The Los Angeles Dodgers (23-14) will go up against the Atlanta Braves (26-12) at Dodger Stadium on Friday. The line on this matchup has the Braves at +132 and the Dodgers are at -160. The over/under is 8. The starting pitchers will be Chris Sale and Emmet Sheehan.

The Braves have hit 69 doubles as a unit and have hit 55 baseballs out of the park. Atlanta has a slugging percentage of .457 and have been rung up 294 times, while drawing a walk on 121 occasions. As a unit, the Atlanta Braves are notching 5.6 runs per game, which is 1st in the league. They have accounted for 208 RBI's and 353 hits on the season, and their batting average comes in at .270. They have earned 213 runs and have an on-base percentage of .335.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.50 and their pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.18. Braves pitchers have surrendered 38 home runs and 134 total runs (3rd in MLB). Atlanta has relinquished 267 hits (7.1 per 9 innings) and 121 earned runs. The Braves are sitting with a team ERA of 3.22 so far this year (3rd in MLB), and the staff has struck out 333 hitters. They have walked 133 hitters and their FIP comes in at 3.94 as a team on the season.

The Braves have sent 119 relief pitchers to the hill so far this year. The relief pitchers have inherited 34 runners for the year with 29.4% of those players crossing the plate. The relievers have 24 holds on the campaign (9th in MLB). Braves relief pitchers have gone to the mound with players on base 22 times and also have had 39 appearances in high leverage situations. They have earned 13 saves on the year and have missed out on 3 of 16 save opportunities. The Braves bullpen have accumulated a save percentage of 81.3% and have entered the game in 42 save situations.

The Braves have turned 72.9% of balls in play into outs in their 3,042 innings, which has them ranked 3rd in professional baseball. The Atlanta Braves are sitting with 1,014 putouts on the year, as well as 311 assists and 15 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .989 which puts them in 7th in pro baseball, and have 30 double plays.

Sale (151-89 career win-loss record) sits with a FIP of 2.95 while facing 8,553 opposing batters in the major leagues. He has surrendered 1,718 hits (7.3 hits per nine innings) and has had 499 free passes. His ERA is 2.99 (707 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.043. Sale has pitched in 2,126 innings and is sitting with 2,628 K's so far in his MLB career.

The Dodgers hold a slugging % of .446 and they are earning 5.30 runs per game (5th in the league). They have recorded 63 doubles, while taking a walk 148 times and putting up 196 runs. Los Angeles has 50 home runs over the course of the season as well as 184 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 294 occasions (22nd in baseball) and are sitting with 344 base hits. The Los Angeles Dodgers have tallied an OBP of .352 in addition to a batting average of .273 over the course of the season.

The Dodgers have a team WHIP of 1.092 and have a FIP of 3.60 as a staff for the season. They are currently ranked 1st in the league as a staff in total hits surrendered with 250. The Los Angeles pitching staff have allowed 119 runs this season while holding an ERA of 3.16 (114 earned runs given up). Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 9.10 (327 strikeouts against 105 walks). They have given up 34 dingers and they surrender 3.30 runs per 9 innings (1st in baseball).

Sitting with 31 save situations, the Dodgers have compiled 18 holds and also 5 blown saves. Los Angeles has had relief pitchers take the mound in 13 save opportunities and they have tallied 8 saves. Los Angeles relief pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 23.5% out of their 34 inherited base runners. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 30 times in high leverage situations in addition to 20 occasions with runners on. They rank 17th in baseball holding a save percentage of 61.5%, and they have sent 112 bullpen pitchers onto the diamond over the course of the season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have turned 23 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .990 (5th in pro baseball). The Dodgers have recorded 300 assists, 13 errors and have accumulated 975 putouts so far this year. In 2,925 innings on the field, the Dodgers are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 73.2% (1st in baseball).

So far in his MLB career, Sheehan has allowed 127 hits while he has earned 189 K's in 164 frames. Sheehan (12-5 win-loss record in his career) is the owner of a 4.06 ERA while allowing 7.0 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed a total of 74 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.121 and having a FIP of 4.0. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.32 and he has faced 671 hitters so far in his pro baseball career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Los Angeles (-160)

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