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00:00The Braves more than likely not catching the Phillies down by
00:06seven games atop the National League East, but it's still an
00:09incredibly important divisional rivalry that starts this week
00:13in Atlanta. A great pitching matchup in game number one.
00:17It's Wheeler versus Lopez. Zach Wheeler versus Reinaldo Lopez
00:21on the other side for Atlanta. As we compare these two teams
00:25as of this moment, Craig, the Phil's minus 1600 to win the
00:29National League East. Again, that would snap a six-year
00:31streak for the Braves atop this division. How much significance
00:35do you put into this midweek set in the ATL?
00:39Well, look, they're taking it very seriously. You mentioned
00:41the matchup tonight.
00:42I mean, you have Max Fried and Aaron Nolan tomorrow, Ben.
00:45So, I mean, this is going to be three games of really good
00:47matchups here. As far as like picking a winner or an outcome,
00:51it's middle of August.
00:52It's really difficult to do. You're going to see minus 120s
00:55or minus 130s. That means it's a competitive series. You look
00:58around the rest of the league in baseball, you're seeing minus
01:00200s, 250s, etc. So, I just think it'll be a fun series.
01:04Look, I'm curious. Reinaldo Lopez has been banged up a little
01:07bit. He is back now pitching for the Braves. So, you know,
01:10for the Braves, they're hoping, of course, that he can be a
01:12major factor in any postseason run for them. But I don't know
01:15that this is necessarily going to be another preview of a
01:18series that we're going to see because we've seen it in the
01:20National League now a couple of times, but really enjoyable
01:23to see two teams fighting so hard at this stage of the year.
01:26Same thing in the American League today, Craig. We get
01:28underway in the Bronx. That's the Cleveland Guardians and
01:30the New York Yankees. Boyd and Heal on the mound today. Favorite
01:33minus 148 live at the Fandula Sportsbook, but also two teams
01:36looking to stay in first place and getting pressure from
01:39either the second place team, like the Baltimore Orioles
01:41going up against the Yankees. Really a plethora of teams,
01:43it feels like now, in the Central Division. How are we looking
01:46at this series for the Guardians and the Yankees?
01:49Yeah, look, I think the Guardians do match up well against
01:51New York and, you know, very intelligent front office and
01:54pitching staff. You're going to see a lot of pitching around
01:56some of these guys. I would imagine this week, Jose Ramirez
01:59always a factor. I would play him to hit a home run or two
02:02in this series. He always steps up in the biggest moments
02:04for them. But I think the real story is for me is sitting
02:07here on all of these shows on SportsGrid and being asked
02:10about the Yankees, their demise. They're not going and they're
02:13they have the best record in the American League. I mean
02:15these Yankees fans will never be satisfied with anything.
02:19I mean, yeah, they had a tough run. Like I told you guys
02:21earlier in the season, but in the end, they're going to
02:23make it. They're going to win their 90-something games,
02:25and they're right at the top with everybody else. So as
02:27long as they can figure out how to get outs in the ninth
02:30inning, which I think is going to have to change for them,
02:32Donnie, I don't think that they're going to use Klay Holmes
02:34in the postseason in the ninth. But for now, they'll roll
02:36it. Yeah, until it gets real serious and then they're going
02:39to have to mix and match for the time being. Another good
02:41series though this week.