Atlanta Braves vs New York Yankees Picks and Prediction for Sunday August 9 2026
The Atlanta Braves will visit the New York Yankees on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET, with MLB.TV providing coverage. Atlanta enters the weekend at 70-46 overall and 31-26 on the road, while New York is 65-51 overall and 28-25 at home. The Yankees took Friday's series opener 3-2 in 10 innings, while Saturday's game was not completed when this preview was written. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Baseball bettors should check the latest lines closer to game time and check out our free MLB picks for more MLB predictions throughout the season.
Starting Pitchers
Atlanta will send Grant Holmes to the mound against New York's Cam Schlittler. Holmes enters the matchup with a 7-4 record, 3.67 ERA and 1.34 WHIP across 108.0 innings. The right-hander has allowed 99 hits and 18 home runs while recording 92 strikeouts against 46 walks. Schlittler has been considerably stronger statistically, entering at 10-6 with a 2.26 ERA and 0.95 WHIP through 139.2 innings. The Yankees right-hander has surrendered 102 hits and 13 home runs while striking out 171 and walking only 31.
Atlanta Brings the Better Record to New York
The Braves enter Sunday's matchup with a 70-46 overall record and a 31-26 mark on the road. Atlanta has won four of its last five completed games, with the only loss coming 3-2 in 10 innings against the Yankees on Friday. Before that defeat, the Braves swept three games from Miami by scores of 11-3, 4-1 and 4-2 after defeating Washington 4-2. Atlanta has therefore been playing some of its best baseball entering this weekend series.
Atlanta is batting .250 this season while scoring 570 runs on 984 hits. The Braves have hit 157 home runs with a .315 on-base percentage and .421 slugging percentage. Their pitching staff owns a 3.61 ERA and 1.24 WHIP, with opponents batting just .229. Atlanta pitchers have recorded 996 strikeouts while issuing 400 walks.
Balance has been one of Atlanta's biggest strengths. The Braves have the better batting average and have scored 45 more runs than New York while also maintaining strong season-long pitching numbers. Atlanta does not have to depend exclusively on power to manufacture offense, and the 3.61 team ERA gives the Braves a chance to stay competitive even when their lineup has a quieter afternoon.
New York Has a Major Advantage on the Mound
The Yankees enter the weekend finale at 65-51 overall with a 28-25 record at Yankee Stadium. New York is 3-2 over its last five completed games, including Friday's 3-2 extra-inning victory over Atlanta. The Yankees lost 3-1 to St. Louis before that win, defeated the Cardinals 2-0, lost 13-7 in the series opener and defeated the Cubs 2-1 on August 2.
New York is batting .231 this season and has scored 525 runs on 888 hits. The Yankees have hit 164 home runs, seven more than Atlanta, while producing a .310 on-base percentage and .411 slugging percentage. New York's pitching staff has been excellent, recording a 3.32 ERA and 1.18 WHIP while holding opposing hitters to a .226 average. The staff has also accumulated 1,041 strikeouts.
The Yankees' strongest advantage Sunday comes from Schlittler. His 2.26 ERA is substantially better than Holmes' 3.67 mark, while the difference between Schlittler's 0.95 WHIP and Holmes' 1.34 is significant. Schlittler has also struck out 171 hitters while walking only 31. Atlanta owns the better offensive statistics, but the Yankees have the starting pitcher best equipped to neutralize that advantage.
Atlanta Braves vs New York Yankees Picks and Prediction
- Pick: New York Yankees Moneyline
The New York Yankees are the pick to win Sunday's game.
Atlanta has the better overall record and enters with stronger offensive numbers. The Braves have also been better recently, winning four of their last five completed games. Those advantages make this a more competitive matchup than ESPN's 62.5% matchup predictor in favor of New York might initially suggest.
The difference for me is Schlittler. A 2.26 ERA and 0.95 WHIP across 139.2 innings represent an excellent body of work, and his 171 strikeouts against only 31 walks make the numbers even more impressive. Holmes has been solid for Atlanta, but his 3.67 ERA and 1.34 WHIP leave New York with more opportunities offensively.
Take the New York Yankees to win
- Pick: Under 8.5
The under is the preferred total if the number is set at 8.5.
Elder's season numbers provide the strongest argument. His 3.69 ERA and 1.20 WHIP suggest Atlanta should have a reasonable opportunity to limit New York's scoring, particularly if he avoids giving up home runs with runners aboard.
Friday's matchup also showed the potential for these teams to play a lower-scoring game, with New York winning 3-2 despite the contest requiring 10 innings. One result doesn't guarantee another low-scoring matchup, but Atlanta's pitching profile makes an offensive explosion less likely.
The uncertainty surrounding New York's starter keeps this from becoming a stronger total play, but at 8.5 there is enough room to lean toward another relatively controlled game.
Take the under if the total is set at 8.5.
Prediction: Atlanta Braves 5, New York Yankees 3
This preview was written prior to game play on Saturday.