NL Wild Card 2020: Game 1 Odds, TV Info, Live Stream for Each Series

The postseason slate in the National League opens with a terrific pitching matchup between Trevor Bauer and Max Fried. 

Bauer, the favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award, leads the seventh-seeded Cincinnati Reds into Truist Park looking to spring an upset in the three-game series versus the No. 2 Atlanta Braves. 

The NL East champion counters Bauer with ace Max Fried, who headlines an inexperienced pitching staff that was ravaged by injuries during the regular season.

Atlanta has one of the best lineups in baseball, but Bauer could neutralize it and take an early advantage in the wild-card series, just like three road teams did in the American League Tuesday. 

Tuesday was a low-scoring day in the AL. That trend could change Wednesday with Atlanta, San Diego and the Los Angeles Dodgers swinging the bats for the first time this postseason. 

National League Wild-Card Game 1 Schedule

No. 7 Cincinnati (+120) at No. 2 Atlanta (-137) (12:08 p.m. ET, ESPN)

No. 6 Miami (+140) at No. 3 Chicago Cubs (-165) (2:08 p.m. ET, ABC)

No. 5 St. Louis (+145) at No. 4 San Diego (-167) (5:08 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

No. 8 Milwaukee (+210) at No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers (-250) (10:08 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook; Games can be live-streamed on ESPN.com and ESPN app.

Predictions

Cincinnati (+120) at Atlanta

Aaron Doster/Associated Press

Bauer has conquered most of his challenges during the 2020 season. 

In his last two starts of the regular season, Bauer contained the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee by conceding three earned runs in 15 innings. 

The seven-inning outing against the White Sox is significant for Wednesday's trip to Atlanta because he limited one of the top five offenses in baseball to two earned runs from five hits. 

The Braves finished with one fewer run than the league-leading Dodgers. They plated 348 runs and were also second to the Dodgers with 103 home runs. 

Despite those totals, Atlanta stumbled to the finish line with five runs scored in three losses over its final four regular-season games. 

In September, the Braves were limited to two or fewer runs on eight occasions, which opens the possibility for Bauer to extend his form and shut down the No. 2 seed. 

Fried finished with a 7-0 record, but he allowed two of his highest run totals in a pair of his three September starts. 

He allowed three earned runs off five hits to Washington September 5 and gave up a pair to Miami before he left the game early September 23.

Fried has been used in a relief role in the last two postseasons. His longest outing lasted 1.2 innings, and he gave up four earned runs in the 13-1 loss to St. Louis in Game 5 of the 2019 NLDS. 

Bauer is in possession of six postseason starts and has not conceded more than three earned runs in any playoff appearance. 

If Bauer combines the playoff experience with his season-long form, he could contain the Atlanta offense and set the stage for Luis Castillo to potentially close out the series in Game 2 Thursday.

St. Louis at San Diego (Over/Under: 8)

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

San Diego finished the regular season in the top five in runs scored, triples, home runs, RBI, slugging percentage and OPS. 

In 29 of their 60 regular-season contests, the Padres produced six runs or more. They had 11 performances with at least eight runs. 

St. Louis will try to limit the production of the No. 4 seed through Kwang-Hyun Kim, who posted a 3-0 record and 1.62 ERA over seven starts. 

While Kim was consistent in most of his appearances, there is one flaw the Padres could exploit to take the early advantage. 

The South Korean hurler walked nine batters in his four appearances away from Busch Stadium, and he conceded four earned runs in his final road start at Pittsburgh. 

San Diego earned 204 walks, which was right above the league average, but a majority of them came away from the batters at the top of the order. 

Trent Grisham, who split time in the No. 1 and No. 9 roles, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. combined for 84 walks and each of them drew at least 25. 

If the Padres remain patient at the dish, they could give Chris Paddack some support in the first few innings. It is worth noting the Padres left the fifth-fewest runners on base in the regular season.

The Cardinals were as efficient in that category, as they left five fewer players on base in two fewer games played. 

Since Paddack allowed three or more earned runs six times, the Cardinals could answer what the Padres get off Kim and push the total runs over the projected total of eight. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference.