The Atlanta Braves (4-2) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (3-3) meet up on ESPN as apart of a four-game slate. Today’s matchup is the first of a four-game series between the two.
Ryne Nelson gets the nod for Arizona after allowing four earned runs on two hits, both homers, and three walks to the Dodgers. However, since then, the Diamondbacks are 3-1 and coming off a series sweep of the Tigers where they outscored Detroit 17-11.
Reynaldo Lopez will start for Atlanta after an impressive 2026 debut. Lopez went 6.0 innings on 77 pitches versus the Royals giving up one earned run on three hits. The Braves won that game 6-2, but have gone 2-2 since then. Atlanta has won both series so far against the Athletics and Royals, 2-1 each.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Brewers at Yankees
- Date: Thursday, April 2, 2026
- Time: 9:40 PM EST
- Site: Chase Field
- City: Phoenix, AZ
- Network/Streaming: ESPN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Braves at the Diamondbacks
The latest odds as of Thursday:
- Moneyline: Atlanta Braves (-118), Arizona Diamondbacks (+100)
- Spread: Braves -1.5 (+136), Diamondbacks +1.5 (-162)
- Total: 8.5
Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Diamondbacks
- Thursday’s pitching matchup (April 2): Reynaldo Lopez vs. Ryne Nelson
2026 stats: 6.0 IP, 0-0, 1.50 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 3Ks, 2 BB
- Diamondbacks: Ryne Nelson
2026 Stats: 4.2 IP, 0-0, 7.71 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 4Ks, 3 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not!
- The Braves’ Drake Baldwin is hitting .318 on seven hits over 22 at-bats with three home runs
- The Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. is hitting .150 with three hits over 20 at-bats, plus six strikeouts
- The Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll is hitting .333 with seven hits over 21 at-bats and a team-high eight RBI
- The Diamondbacks’ Nolan Arenado is hitting .158 with three hits over 19 at-bats, plus six strikeouts
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Braves at Diamondbacks
- The Braves are 4-2 ATS this season
- The Diamondbacks are 5-1 ATS this season
- The Braves are 6-0 to the Under this season
- The Diamondbacks are 4-2 to the Over this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Braves and the Diamondbacks
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Braves and the Diamondbacks:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Braves on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Braves at -1.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 8.5
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