On Wednesday, July 23, 2025, the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves face off in a pivotal MLB showdown at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. This afternoon game, set for a 12:15 p.m. ET first pitch, serves as the rubber match of their three-game series, with both teams eager to gain momentum in their respective playoff pursuits.
The Giants, currently holding a 53-49 record and sitting third in the National League West, enter the contest fresh off a dominant 9-0 shutout victory against the Braves on Tuesday. That win snapped a six-game losing streak and featured Rafael Devers making his professional debut at first base. Devers was a standout, contributing two hits, two runs, one RBI, and four flawless putouts, helping the Giants tie their largest margin of victory this season.
Manager Bob Melvin expressed satisfaction with the team's response after a tough stretch: "They responded well. We knew we had to play a much better game today. Last night was not one to be proud of. I think the guys had a little bit of an edge today." Devers, along with Wilmer Flores, Casey Schmitt, Matt Chapman, Patrick Bailey, and Willy Adames, all played key roles in the offensive explosion. Flores hit his 12th home run of the season—a three-run blast in the seventh inning—and drove in four runs, while Schmitt added a solo homer. On the mound, Landen Roupp impressed with five scoreless innings and six strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 3.11.
Despite the Giants’ recent resurgence, the Atlanta Braves are not to be underestimated. With a 44-56 record and fourth place in the National League East, Atlanta is looking to bounce back after a rollercoaster stretch that included a series win over the Cardinals followed by two losses to the Yankees. The Braves opened this series strong with a 9-5 victory over the Giants on Monday, showcasing their offensive firepower.
Leading the Braves’ charge is slugger Matt Olson, who tops the team with 18 home runs and 64 RBIs. Olson has been locked in lately, riding a six-game hitting streak and batting .262 over his last 10 games, including two doubles, a home run, six walks, and six RBIs. Ozzie Albies is also contributing, batting .223 with 12 doubles, a triple, and nine homers, while Marcell Ozuna and Ronald Acuña Jr. add depth to the lineup. Acuña, in particular, has been hot, hitting .320 with nine doubles, a triple, 13 home runs, and 37 walks this season.
On the mound for Atlanta, Spencer Strider is expected to take the hill. Strider has been a dominant force this year, ranking as the fifth-best starter in MLB for strikeout ability. His last outing was impressive, pitching six shutout innings against the Yankees with eight strikeouts. Strider’s fastball velocity sits in the 79th percentile at 94.9 mph, and he boasts a 15.9% swinging strike rate, placing him in the 98th percentile. Truist Park, known for being the ninth-best stadium for strikeouts, should complement Strider’s pitching style well.
The Giants will counter with veteran ace Justin Verlander, who is still searching for his first victory with San Francisco. Verlander’s recent performances have been rocky; in his last start against Toronto, he allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks in just 2.2 innings without recording a strikeout. Despite these struggles, Verlander remains a formidable opponent, though his 2.2 K/BB rate ranks in the 23rd percentile this season, highlighting some challenges. Additionally, he is an extreme flyball pitcher, and Truist Park’s deep left field fences could suppress some of his flyball damage.
Weather and ballpark factors add an intriguing layer to this matchup. Truist Park ranks fifth in MLB for Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP) and sits at the third-highest elevation among major league parks, both of which can contribute to increased offensive production. The weather forecast predicts the fifth-most suitable hitting conditions of the day, with temperature and humidity favorable for batters. However, the park’s deep left field fences, the second deepest in MLB, may temper home run totals, especially for flyball pitchers like Verlander and Strider.
This season, the Giants hold a 25-29 record on the road, while the Braves are 26-25 at home. The Giants have excelled when scoring at least five runs, boasting a 30-9 record in such games. The series between these two teams has been tightly contested, with the Giants leading 4-1 in the season series before Wednesday’s game. Their recent head-to-head meetings have been close, including a string of games in early June where the Giants won three straight by narrow margins.
Injuries have impacted both teams. The Braves are missing key players such as Austin Riley (abdomen), Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow), and Chris Sale (rib), among others. The Giants have also dealt with absences, including Erik Miller (elbow), Christian Koss (hamstring), and Tom Murphy (back). These injuries could influence bullpen depth and lineup flexibility as the teams battle for a series win.
From a betting perspective, the Braves enter as 1.5-run favorites with a moneyline of -163, while the Giants are +136 underdogs. The over/under is set at 8 runs. The predicted score leans toward a close contest, with experts forecasting a 5-4 win for the Braves and a total run tally under 8. The Braves have won 50% of their games as favorites this season and have a 54.5% win rate when favored by at least -163. Conversely, the Giants have won 47.5% of their games as underdogs and have struggled recently, going 1-6 in their last seven games as underdogs.
Fans can catch the game on NBC Sports Bay Area, FanDuel Sports Network South, and MLB Network for out-of-market viewers. Streaming options include fuboTV, DirecTV Stream, and Sling with MLB.TV add-ons, providing ample ways to follow the action live.
With both teams eager to claim the series and build momentum for the second half of the season, Wednesday’s matchup promises to be a thrilling clash of pitching prowess and offensive firepower. Will Verlander rebound to silence the Braves’ bats, or will Strider continue his dominance on the mound? Can the Giants sustain their newfound offensive spark led by Devers and Flores, or will the Braves’ lineup, spearheaded by Olson and Acuña, prove too much to handle?
As the game unfolds at Truist Park, baseball fans can expect a competitive, strategic battle that could have significant implications for both teams’ playoff aspirations. The stage is set for an exciting conclusion to this series, with every pitch and at-bat carrying weight in the tightly contested National League landscape.
