Cincinnati Reds vs Atlanta Braves Prediction & Match Preview - April 7th

The Cincinnati Reds will travel to Truist Park to face the reigning World Series Champions Atlanta Braves for the penultimate National League game on Opening Day. This is a must-see matchup as the Braves start their quest for a back-to-back championship, a feat that hasn't been done since the 1999-2000 New York Yankees did it.

The Reds' Tyler Mahle will battle Braves' lefty ace Max Fried on the mound. The first pitch is set for 8:08 p.m. EDT.

Match Details

Fixture: Cincinnati Reds vs Atlanta Braves | MLB Regular Season 2022

Date & Time: Thursday, April 7, 8:08 p.m. EDT

Venue: Truist Park, Atlanta, Georgia

Cincinnati Reds Team Preview

Cincinnati Reds Tyler Stephenson and Jonathan India

Club stars Nick Castellanos, Jesse Winker, and Eugenio Suarez, along with pitchers Michael Lorenzen and Mychal Givens, have all left the Great American Ballpark in the offseason. The Reds signed Tommy Pham from San Diego, Donovan Solano from San Francisco, and Colin Moran from Pittsburgh to fill the voids left by the aforementioned players.

It will be interesting to see how the Reds approach the new season with the departure of their club star Castellanos.

Key Player - Nick Senzel

Centerfielder Nick Senzel had a terrific Spring Training for the Reds. He batted .382/.447/.647 with 2 HR and 11 RBI in 34 at-bats. The young stud — who was, coincidentally, born in Atlanta — will look to be the batting order help Joey Votto and Jonathan India need in the matchup against the defending champions.

"Senzel is sizzlin'. 🔥 Yesterday: 3-run homer Today: 3-run homer" - @ Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds Predicted Lineup

2B Jonathan India
LF Tommy Pham
1B Joey Votto
C Tyler Stephenson
3B Mike Moustakas
CF Nick Senzel
DH Tyler Naquin
RF Aristides Aquino
SS Kyle Farmer

Atlanta Braves Team Preview

World Series - Atlanta Braves v Houston Astros - Game Six

Can the Braves recapture the magic of 2021? That is the question for the Atlanta sqad this season. They will be without the services of club legend Freddie Freeman and postseason hero Jorge Soler, who have signed with the LA Dodgers and Miami Marlins, respectively.

Make no mistake, the Braves lineup is still formidable. The additions of Matt Olson and Eddie Rosario should stabilize the batting order. They've also reloaded their bullpen with talent, acquiring Kenley Jensen from the LA Dodgers, Collin McHugh from the Tampa Bay Rays, and Kirby Yates from the Toronto Blue Jays.

Key Player - Matt Olson

The 2021 All-Star first baseman Matt Olson is about as competent as it gets to replace Freddie Freeman. The 28-year-old, who was born and raised in Georgia, didn't waste any time getting to work. He impressed in Spring Training with a slash line of .344/.432/.594 with 2 HR and 5 RBI in 32 at-bats. He will be a vital part of the Braves battery lineup. If he can continue to find his form, it will bolster their chances for another World Series title.

"We can confirm reports of another @mattolson21 moonshot 😱 #BravesST" - @ Braves

To say Matt Olson was a good acquisition for the Atlanta Braves is a major understatement. Expect great things from him on Opening Day and throughout this season.

Atlanta Braves Predicted Lineup

LF Eddie Rosario
2B Ozzie Albies
1B Matt Olson
3B Austin Riley
DH Marcell Ozuna
RF Adam Duvall
SS Dansby Swanson
C Travis d'Arnaud
CF Guillermo Heredia

The Braves are still without star Ronald Acuña Jr. as he is recovering from his ACL injury. Reports say he could be ready by as early as April 24.

Reds vs Braves Prediction

The Atlanta Braves will surely assert dominance in this game to scare off possible playoff rivals. They will look to make an example out of the Reds, who are still trying to find their ground after losing many of their stars in free agency. Prediction, Atlanta Braves win 5-1.

Where to watch Brewers vs Cubs

The game will be available to watch on ESPN2. As for radio streaming, it is available in 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan and La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM in Atlanta.

About the author

Daniel Santiago is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. He was drawn towards the sport after the underlying statistics and the analysis surrounding it grabbed his attention.

Daniel particularly enjoys furnishing reports about historic events in baseball and analyzing the game through a statistic-based outlook, based on Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference. This is in line with how he enjoyed watching baseball as a pastime. As a writer, he is very particular about cross-checking from reputable sources and doing his due diligence.

He became a lifelong Hideki Matsui fan after his exploits in the 2009 World Series for the New York Yankees. Among the current generation, Daniel's favorites include Shohei Ohtani and Jung Hoo Lee. Daniel is a huge follower of Asian baseball and both Ohtani and Lee have been in the top echelon of their respective leagues during their time with the NPB and KBO.

His favorite moment as a baseball fan was the final at-bat of the 2023 World Baseball Classic between Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout. He believes there aren't many words to fittingly describe the intensity of the moment.

As an avid sports fan, Daniel watches other sports and Esports when not writing about baseball.

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Edited by Jodi Whisenhunt

Cincinnati Reds vs Atlanta Braves Prediction & Match Preview - April 7th | MLB Season 2022