MLB Playoffs 2019: Odds, TV Schedule, Predictions for Friday's Division Series

The Atlanta Braves find themselves in a familiar position heading into Game 2 of the NLDS. 

The Braves have a nine-game losing streak in Game 1 of postseason series, which is the longest in MLB history, per MLB on Fox. 

Life will not get easier for Brian Snitker's ball club Friday, as it faces one of the hottest pitchers in baseball. 

Over in the American League, Minnesota confronts a familiar foe. Ten of the Twins' 13 straight playoff defeats have come to the New York Yankees. 

The Twins enter Yankee Stadium with a lineup that hit 307 home runs, but there is a chance they may be silenced. 

Friday MLB Postseason Schedule and Odds

Odds via Caesars and Vegas Insider

Game 1: Tampa Bay (+190; Bet $100 to win $190) at Houston (-220; Bet $220 to win $100) (2:05 p.m. ET, FS1) 

Game 2: St. Louis (-125) at Atlanta (+105) (4:37 p.m. ET, TBS) 

Game 1: Minnesota (+170) at New York Yankees (-185) (7:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network) 

Game 2: Washington (+138) at Los Angeles Dodgers (-153) (9:37 p.m. ET, TBS) 

Predictions

St. Louis over Atlanta

Scott Cunningham/Associated Press

Jack Flaherty enters Game 2 at SunTrust Park off a 0.91 second-half ERA. 

The 23-year-old's incredible form impressed everyone in the St. Louis dugout, including veteran hurler Adam Wainwright. 

"What we saw the second half is unlike anything I've ever seen," he said, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, "It's incredible what he's done. We're not in the playoffs without him." 

In September, Flaherty chopped his ERA down from 3.14 to 2.75 by giving up four earned runs on 17 hits in six starts. 

Since July 7, the St. Louis ace conceded more than two earned runs on one occasion: September 14 versus Milwaukee. 

In his one meeting with Atlanta May 26, Flaherty fanned seven batters over six scoreless innings. 

That does not bode well for the Braves, who lost the first two games in the NLDS a year ago to the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Historically, the Braves have bounced back from the Game 1 defeats to win Game 2. They did so in six straight series from 2002-2013, but the current crop of players have not experienced that yet. 

In order to take Game 2, Atlanta needs to remedy its bullpen struggles. Luke Jackson and Mark Melancon combined to give up the six runs on eight hits. 

“The way we played all season, you can almost expect to win those kinds of games,” Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman said, per MLB.com's Mark Bowman, “When you give up that kind of lead, that’s tough to swallow.”

The Braves will be without Chris Martin, who has an oblique strain, per WSB' Zack Klein. In his last 14 appearances, Martin let up two earned runs. 

With Martin out of the NLDS and other relievers struggling, the Braves need Mike Foltynewicz to produce a quality start.

The 27-year-old has to find a way to quiet the top half of St. Louis' order. Dexter Fowler, Tommy Edman, Paul Goldschmidt and Marcell Ozuna combined for seven hits, five runs and four RBIs Thursday. 

Foltynewicz gave up three earned runs in his final regular-season start, and he has been tagged for four or more on seven occasions, with one of his worst outings occurring May 14 in a home loss to the Cardinals. 

If St. Louis gets to him early, the Braves may have to call on the bullpen to remedy the situation. After Thursday, it is hard to trust Atlanta's relievers getting the job done. 

New York over Minnesota 

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

James Paxton and Jose Berrios have the unenviable task of shutting down the top two power lineups in baseball. 

But Yankees have hope Paxton can limit Minnesota's production, as he conceded a single home run and gave up three earned runs over five starts. 

If you want to discredit those outings because they came against Texas, Toronto and Boston, we can reference the 11-strikeout performance versus the Dodgers in August to back up his Game 1 credentials.

The left-hander's teammates have plenty of confidence in him, and Aaron Judge went as far to call him the best southpaw in the majors, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. 

“He's the best left-handed pitcher in the game, in my opinion, just based on the stuff he has and his bulldog mentality on the mound,” Judge said. “He's an animal out there. That's what he's shown the past couple starts, and that's what's going to help us going into the playoffs, especially." 

Berrios was not as dominant in September, as he conceded 15 earned runs, 11 of which came in two outings versus Boston and Kansas City. 

The 25-year-old's sole playoff appearance was a three-inning relief stint in the 2017 AL Wild Card Game at Yankee Stadium. 

“Since then, I’ve grown a lot as a player,” Berrios said, per Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “Inning by inning, game by game, I gain a lot of experience, and I think that’s going to help me tomorrow night.”

Berrios is 1-2 with a 5.79 ERA against the Yankees. Those numbers do not inspire much confidence against a lineup that hit 306 home runs. 

In their last postseason meeting, the Yankees matched Minnesota's three-run first-inning output and then stormed past with scoring plays in the first four innings. 

If Judge, Gary Sanchez and Co. put Berrios under pressure early, we could see a familiar plot break out in the Bronx.  

Other Predictions

Houston over Tampa Bay

Los Angeles Dodgers over Washington

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference.