Atlanta vs NY Mets Odds & Prediction

The New York Mets look to ride power hitting and pitching back to the postseason as they begin the 2017 campaign at home Monday against the Atlanta Braves. The Mets return virtually the same roster that captured a National League wild-card spot last season, anchored around slugging center fielder Yoenis Cespedes and a rotation that – when healthy – is one of baseball’s best.

That rotation already has been dinged by injuries in spring training as Stephen Matz (elbow) begins the season on the disabled list and Matt Harvey has not reached the same velocity since having thoracic outlet syndrome surgery last summer, but the top two of Noah Syndergaard and Jacob DeGrom give the Mets two Cy Young candidates. Atlanta won only 68 games last season but played far better after a disastrous 9-29 start as it won 20 of its final 30 contests. The addition of left fielder Matt Kemp and shortstop prospect Dansby Swanson in August sparked the Braves’ offense, and veteran second baseman Brandon Phillips joins his hometown team to further bolster the offense and defense. The big question with Atlanta is starting pitching, considering the Braves added a pair of 40-plus-year-old starters in R.A. Dickey and Bartolo Colon to the back end of the rotation.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Julio Teheran (2016: 7-10, 3.21 ERA) vs. Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (2016: 14-9, 2.60)

A bolstered Atlanta offense is great news for Teheran, who received only 3.37 runs per start in 2016 – the third-lowest average in the majors. The 26-year-old established himself as the ace of the Braves’ staff, having made 30-plus starts each of the past four seasons with a 3.21 or lower ERA in three of those campaigns. Teheran, who made the All-Star team and finished 10th in the NL in WAR for pitchers (4.8) last season, went 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA in four starts against the Mets in 2016.

Syndergaard followed a strong rookie campaign with an All-Star appearance in 2016, finishing third in the NL in ERA, fourth in strikeouts (218) and seventh in WAR (5.3). The 24-year-old dominated right-handers, holding them to a .228 average and a .581 OPS while giving up only five homers in 416 plate appearances. Syndergaard made one start against the Braves last season, giving up five runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings in a 7-3 loss Sept. 19.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta RP Mauricio Cabrera, whose fastball averaged 100 mph in 38 1/3 innings as a rookie in 2016, starts the season on the disabled list with an elbow injury.

2. Matz’ rotation spot will be taken by Zack Wheeler, who has not pitched in the majors since September 2014 while recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2015.

3. New York will be without closer Jeurys Familia, who led the majors with 51 saves a year ago, for the first 15 games because of a suspension stemming from an offseason domestic violence incident.

PREDICTION: Mets 2, Braves 1