MLB Thursday Night Slate Betting Preview: Picks & Predictions
Written by: Danny Burke
Published: Thu Apr 02, 2026, 2:14 pm ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
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There aren't many options on Thursday's MLB slate, as there are just three games total, with two of them starting after 9:40 PM ET.
Still, the matchups we do get are worth the attention. The Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves begin their four-game series in the desert, while the New York Mets head to the Bay Area for a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants.
Let's explore both spots with my MLB Thursday night slate betting preview, picks and predictions.
MLB Thursday Night Slate Betting Preview: Picks & Predictions
Atlanta Braves vs Arizona Diamondbacks
After opening the 2026 season on the wrong end of a three-game sweep by the Dodgers, the Diamondbacks responded quickly with a three-game sweep of their own against the Tigers.
Now they'll face a Braves team that's off to a solid 4-2 start after winning two of three against both the Royals and Athletics.
Last season, Nelson went 7-3 across 23 starts, posting a 3.39 ERA with a slightly higher 4.05 xFIP. That's not overly concerning, but it's something to keep in mind.
What also stood out was his BABIP (.252), ground ball rate (40%), HR/FB rate (9.7%) and WHIP (1.07).
He'll be matched up against a Braves lineup that, through 141 plate appearances against righties this season, has a 92 wRC+ (20th), a .662 OPS (19th) and a .109 ISO (27th).
Last year, Atlanta posted a 110 wRC+, a .776 OPS and a .190 ISO against right-handed pitching.
On the flip side, Reynaldo Lopez is trying to find his groove after missing last season following right shoulder surgery.
In his return against the Royals, Lopez went six innings, giving up three hits and one earned run on a homer, with three strikeouts and two walks. Following that start, his ERA sits at 1.50, but his xERA is 4.44 with a 5.35 xFIP.
Arizona's offense has been solid against righties through 144 plate appearances, posting a 111 wRC+ (14th), a .744 OPS (10th) and a .200 ISO (3rd).
I'm going to ride the Diamondbacks' momentum and look for them to extend their winning streak to four. I'm usually a bit leery of jumping into spots like this, but I don't have enough conviction in Lopez after just one start following a year off, and Arizona's bats are hotter right now.
Factor in the plus-money price and I'm sold.
Bet: Diamondbacks Moneyline (+103)
New York Mets vs San Francisco Giants
At Oracle Park, we're slated for a strong pitching matchup between veteran left-hander Robbie Ray and fellow southpaw David Peterson.
In his first start this season, Ray went 5.1 innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs while striking out four in a 3-0 loss to the Yankees.
Ray did his part, but his offense was nowhere to be found, which has been the theme of the Giants' season so far.
San Francisco scored just one run in its three-game series against the Yankees, then bounced back against the Padres in the first two meetings, winning 3-2 and 9-3, before falling 7-1 on Wednesday.
The Giants will look to capitalize against Peterson, who had a solid start against the Pirates last week. He went 5.1 innings, struck out three, gave up six hits and didn't allow a run.
Peterson was a peculiar pitcher last season. He posted a 4.22 ERA with a 3.72 xFIP. His hard-hit rate was elevated at 46%, along with a 1.37 WHIP, though he also had a strong ground ball rate north of 54% and a respectable HR/FB rate below 10%.
He's not the easiest arm to get a read on, but this could be a spot to trust him more than usual against a Giants lineup that's posted a 62 wRC+ (23rd), a .539 OPS (22nd) and a .073 ISO (22nd) against lefties through 60 at-bats so far.
Yes, it's a very small sample size, but it's easier to trust this Mets offense right now than San Francisco's.
Bet: Mets Moneyline (-120)
MLB Record: 9-3-1 (+6.72)
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Danny Burke is a betting analyst with a decade of sports media experience. He got his start at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, sharing picks on the local ESPN affiliate. After college, he hosted shows for VSiN in Las Vegas before returning to Chicago to launch 'Rush Hour', the first daily sports betting show from an Illinois casino. He also co-hosted 'Props and Locks' on Fox32’s Bears pregame show and ran 'Bet On, Chicago' on WLS-AM 890.
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