MLB matchup analysis

Phillies vs Braves Prediction, Odds and Model Pick

Friday, September 11, 2026 at Truist Park · 7:15 PM ET

Pass

Leo decision: Pass on Phillies vs Braves

Lab Rating
6.3/10
Model lean
Braves 73.1%
Market probability
46.2%
Model edge
+26.9%
Best moneyline
+114
Sportsbooks checked
6
Leo model
73.1%
Market
46.2%

The case for Atlanta Braves

Starting pitcher edge: 25 points
Leo gives Chris Sale a 25-point edge over Aaron Nola, driven mainly by HR/9 (0.53 vs 1.90) and ERA (2.25 vs 4.77).

The case for Philadelphia Phillies

The case is thin
The model finds little going Philadelphia Phillies's way — it trails on the pitching plan, bullpen, and recent form. The main path to a Philadelphia Phillies win is variance.

Why it is not official

Setup quality below the bar
Lab Rating is 6.3/10, under the 7.2/10 required for an official pick.
Cold stretch at the plate
Atlanta Braves is -0.032 wOBA below its own season form.

Why the setup score is what it is

Conviction: 9.03/10
Leo's win probability for Atlanta Braves (73.1%) is well clear of a coin flip -- this is a real, stated lean, not a guess.
Pitching plan: 40/40
Chris Sale rates 84 on Leo's pitcher score, judged on its own merits (50-80 is the credited range). That is a strong start on its own, and it earns most or all of the available credit here.
Offense: 14.21/50
Atlanta Braves's recent form does not clearly outpace Philadelphia Phillies's.

Why the price is what it is

Team strength: 54.9%
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, Leo's team-strength model alone makes Atlanta Braves 54.9% to win. Everything below moves the price from this starting point.
Pitcher score gap: 26 points
The pitcher-score gap favors Atlanta Braves by 26 points. This is the biggest single mover of the price -- a large gap moves it a lot, a small gap barely moves it.
Bullpen adjustment: +0.015
The bullpen-fatigue gap between the two pens nudges the price toward Atlanta Braves. This moves the price less than the starting pitchers do, since a starter covers more of the game than the bullpen.
Net effect: 54.9% -> 73.1%
Team strength alone had Atlanta Braves at 54.9%. After the pitcher and bullpen terms, the price is 73.1% -- the same number shown as Model Lean above.
The verdict Leo passes. The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.
Read the full model output

The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.

Final result

Phillies 5, Braves 6

How the analysis held up

Atlanta Braves won, the side Leo's model favored.

Leo's two internal reads disagreed pregame by 69.4 points — the team-strength model favored Atlanta Braves, the run-projection model favored Philadelphia Phillies. The team-strength model had the winner here.

Chris Sale (Atlanta Braves) was Leo's favored starter by pitcher score, but Aaron Nola actually pitched better tonight: 6.1 IP, 2 ER (2.84 ERA) against 7.0 IP, 3 ER (3.86 ERA). The edge did not show up in this game.

The Atlanta Braves bullpen was not flagged pregame, but it had a night worth noting: 0 earned runs allowed over 4.0 relief innings (0.00 ERA) — quietly better than the pregame read implied. Note: 2 of the runs charged to the Atlanta Braves pitching staff overall were unearned — not something the bullpen's stuff should be blamed for.

Philadelphia Phillies scored 5 in a game that went 11 innings — not compared against the 4.5 pregame projection, which assumed nine.

Atlanta Braves scored 6 in a game that went 11 innings — not compared against the 2.8 pregame projection, which assumed nine.

Game information

MatchupPhiladelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves
DateFriday, September 11, 2026
First pitch7:15 PM ET
VenueTruist Park
Starting pitchersAaron Nola vs Chris Sale
WeatherGame-time forecast: 72°F, 56% precipitation chance, 2 mph wind from W.

Starting pitcher matchup

Full Pitcher Matchup Tool →
Aaron NolaPhillies · RHP
vs
Chris SaleBraves · LHP
MetricPhilliesBraves
Pitching planTraditional starterTraditional starter
Expected innings5⅓6
ThrowsRL
Leo pitcher score (higher is better)5984
ERA (lower is better)4.772.25
WHIP (lower is better)1.361.01
K/9 (higher is better)9.411.1
K-BB% (higher is better)16.7%25.7%
K% (higher is better)24.5%30.6%
BB% (lower is better)7.8%4.9%
BB/9 (lower is better)3.01.8
HR/9 (lower is better)1.90.5
Ground-ball rate46.0%47.7%
Fly-ball rate54.0%52.3%

Pitcher edge: Leo gives Chris Sale a 25-point edge over Aaron Nola, driven mainly by HR/9 (0.53 vs 1.90) and ERA (2.25 vs 4.77).

How to read this: the scorecards above name the starters; every number lives in this table.

Strikeout Projections Full strikeout projections →

Aaron Nola strikeouts
5.3 Leo projected Ks
No K play · -0.2K difference is below Leo's 0.7K threshold
Market 5.5K · O -105 / U -114 · 7 books
Chris Sale strikeouts
6.3 Leo projected Ks
Official pick: UNDER 7.5K · -1.0K difference
Market 7.5K · O +118 / U -136 · 7 books

Same data source as the Pitcher Matchup Tool, where every starter on the slate is compared side by side.

Phillies are 5-5 in their last 10 and averaging 3.9 runs per game over the last 15 days; Braves are 4-6 in their last 10 and averaging 3.4 runs per game over the last 15 days. On the season Braves carry the better run differential per game (+0.75 against +0.24).

MetricPhilliesBraves
Last 105-54-6
Last 10 by venue (away team on the road, home team at home)6-4 on the road7-3 at home
OPS, last 15 days0.6740.642
wOBA, last 15 days (hot/cold read)0.3000.283
Runs per game, last 15 days3.93.4
K% last 15 days (lower is better)20.3%22.0%

Last 15 days only. Hot and cold streaks for all 30 teams live on the Stats page.

30-day offense

Full offense tool →
Last 30 daysPhilliesBraves
OPS0.720 (+0.010 vs szn)0.656 (-0.062 vs szn)
Runs per game4.81 (+0.328 vs szn)3.29 (-1.289 vs szn)
wOBA (model offense input)0.3170.289 (-0.027 vs szn)
K% (lower is better)18.7% (-3.4% vs szn)22.5% (+0.8% vs szn)

Over the last 30 days the Phillies have been the better offense, 0.317 wOBA to 0.289.

Season profile

Full Stats page →
MetricPhilliesBraves
Record82-6586-61
Run differential / game (team quality)+0.24+0.75
Runs scored / game (offense, season)4.494.57
Runs allowed / game (defense, season, lower better)4.243.82
Season OPS0.7120.717
K% season (lower is better)22.1%21.6%
OPS vs opposing hand (season)0.7140.728

Season-long team quality, not recent form. Run differential and run environment come from the season standings; splits for all 30 teams live on the Stats page, including the run environment table.

Every team on today's slate, on any two axes you pick. Phillies and Braves are highlighted.

Phillies
Combined risk
4.9 Normal
Fatigue
4.6 Normal
Efficiency
4.4 Below average
Braves
Combined risk
4.4 Normal
Fatigue
5.2 Normal
Efficiency
6.7 Effective

Risk is what the model actually uses: fatigue blended with how well the pen has pitched. High fatigue with high efficiency is a tired pen that is still getting outs.

MetricPhilliesBraves
Fatigue4.6/10, Normal5.2/10, Normal
Efficiency4.4/10, Below average6.7/10, Effective
Combined risk4.9/10, Normal4.4/10, Normal
Relief innings, last 7 days17.024.3
Back-to-back arms53
7-day ERA5.292.59
7-day WHIP1.240.82

Fatigue measures workload. Efficiency measures recent run prevention. Combined risk is what the moneyline and totals systems use.

Run total projection

Full Totals Projections →
Leo projection
7.4
Market total
7.5
Projected away runs
4.5
Projected home runs
2.8
Over price
+103
Under price
-110
Philadelphia Phillies team total
4.5 projected
Line Not available · O Not available / U Not available
Market line pending
Atlanta Braves team total
2.8 projected
Line Not available · O Not available / U Not available
Market line pending

The model and market are close. Team totals remain research-only until their graded sample is established.

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