Free Pick | MLB | Thursday | July 3

Check out a late night pick on the diamond from Nelly’s tonight to add to a great 2025 season!

#915 LA Angels (Soriano) +130 over Atlanta Braves (Elder) 6:15 PM CT

Despite an 8-3 win Wednesday the Braves used four relievers as the Angels led 2-0 through five innings before Atlanta broke through with a huge sixth inning. Atlanta is still seven games below .500 on the season including going just 2-5 in the past seven games, unable to take advantage of marginal play from the Phillies and Mets on top of the NL East in recent weeks. Atlanta’s lineup has been held to three or fewer runs in seven of the past 10 games and Jose Soriano has been a reliable option on the mound for the Angels with a 3.35 FIP over 17 starts. Soriano had his worst outing of the year last weekend but that was an outlier outcome, and Soriano has been a much better pitcher away from Anaheim this season with a 2.78 ERA in 55 innings on the road. The Angels had a 15-11 June and will look to take this series to get back to .500 as wild card hopes have emerged for the team. The Braves have a strong rotation despite being a disappointing team this season, but Bryce Elder has struggled with a 5.82 ERA and a 5.28 FIP over 13 starts. Elder has allowed 25 hits and 19 runs over his past three starts as he isn’t likely to last in the rotation if the Braves are to retain any hope of a last season climb back to contention. Elder has a 6.61 ERA at Truist Park and while the Atlanta bullpen has been decent this season, the bullpen used most of its top relief options last night and the staff has been rocked by another injury with Spencer Schwellenbach joining Chris Sale on the IL this week. A two-out grand slam from Matt Olson was the difference last night as Atlanta wound up with seven two-out runs in the 8-3 win for rare results from a lineup that has been in the bottom third of MLB for hitting with runners in scoring position in great contrast to a top 10 success rate for the Angels.