The Mets arrive in Atlanta amid a rough August, riding a 5-13 slide this month and needing momentum to shake off the skid. The Braves, meanwhile, have been a different story—7-1 over their last eight and a broader August surge that’s kept them within reach of their NL East rivals. In a Friday showdown at Truist Park, Atlanta is aiming to keep the hot streak rolling while New York searches for a spark. NBC Sports’ model leans toward Atlanta, backing the Braves on the moneyline and at the spread, with the total set at 8.0.

For fantasy players, the game isn’t just about pitching duels but about where the upside may lie late in the week. The betting perspective highlights Atlanta’s home-field edge and NYM’s August woes as a narrative thread, while the model’s over/under angle points to a potentially run-tight pace early but a chance for late offense in what could be a high-leverage late-inning environment.

Key angles: Braves’ lineup balance against a Mets bullpen that has been stressed in August, plus the chance for Atlanta to extend its divisional impact as they host and try to widen the series lead in this head-to-head clash. A sharp fantasy lens favors Atlanta bats and potentially streaming Mets pieces depending on early-game developments.

Week 21 waiver-wire watchers get a quartet of starter options with recent momentum and clear paths to value. Joey Wentz has flashed at the top of Atlanta’s rotation, but underlying metrics hint regression ahead, making him a pickup in short stints or favorable matchups rather than a long-term anchor. Nolan McLean just debuted for the Mets with a strong start that screamed untapped upside, especially with his plus curveball and a Triple-A track record. Jason Alexander’s August surge for Houston sits on a fine line between luck and skill, aided by a dominant changeup and a sinker that occasionally plays up in the right spots. Ryan Bergert, traded to Kansas City, has started to blend a sweeper more often, producing eye-popping strikeout runs in support of a lean arsenal that should be monitored in deeper formats. Overall, these names profile as short-term adds in mixed leagues and potential weekly streams in favorable matchups.

Jen Pawol broke a major barrier this weekend, becoming the first woman to work home plate in a regular-season MLB game. The Atlanta Braves defeated the Miami Marlins 7-1 in Atlanta, with Pawol handling the plate with notable poise under a national spotlight. The moment underscores MLB's ongoing push toward greater diversity in officiating and signals a historic shift in how the league staffs plate umpires for marquee games.

Pawol's first call, a 93 mph fastball that brushed inside and was ruled a strike, quickly became a social-media talking point, though praise for her performance followed. Braves pitcher Joey Wentz and Marlins manager Clayton McCullough publicly backed Pawol, framing the debut as a sign of progress rather than a tipping point on one bad call. Pawol herself called the moment a dream come true and thanked her support system and MLB for fostering an inclusive environment.

For fantasy-sports minds, the episode adds a narrative thread about officiating quality and consistency impacting on-field outcomes. While one game cannot redefine a season, the milestone reinforces that the umpiring landscape is expanding, which could influence how we track plate-umpire trends and the potential for future opportunities behind the plate in high-profile matchups.

Ozuna’s five-game sprint anchors a brimming Braves week, turning around a rough start with four homers, seven hits, eight RBIs, and a tidy .368/.455/.1000 line. His 1.455 OPS tops the team, lifting him within reach of 300 career batting average and a Braves milestone as he nears 150 homers in ATL. Jurickson Profar’s 10 walks and three long balls, Drake Baldwin’s rookie eruption, and Michael Harris II’s steady contributions underline a deeper Braves attack that carried the unit when pitching held up. Hurston Waldrep and Joey Wentz supplied strong outings on the mound, capping a week that showed the offense finally firing on all cylinders after a rough stretch.

Olson’s big-season pace and Ozuna’s surge complicate the Braves’ long-term decisions, especially with Ozuna’s free-agent status looming after 2025. Baldwin’s rookie ascent and Harris II’s all-around value reinforce Atlanta’s depth and the potential for these players to push fantasy lineups deeper into August. The week also places a spotlight on the Marlins series and Brewers’ earlier visit as pivotal moments in shaping a playoff push, while the Braves’ offense seems to be finding a new rhythm that could sustain fantasy relevance into the final stretch.

Atlanta smashed Miami 7-1 behind three home runs from Olson, Ozuna and Harris II, while Joey Wentz rode a strong five-plus innings to his first win since joining the Braves. Jen Pawol drew praise as the first female regular-season umpire in a major league game in the series’ backdrop, and Atlanta’s lineup kept rolling after sweeping Saturday’s twin bill.

Jurickson Profar’s two hits helped push the Braves in the fifth, giving them a 2-1 lead that they never relinquished as Cal Quantrill exited early for Miami. Ozuna’s three-run shot and Harris II’s solo homer in the seventh padded the margin, while Quantrill went four innings with one run allowed. The Braves closed the series strong, heading to Monday off before facing the Mets with Strider on the hill against Holmes.

Fantasy takeaway: Atlanta’s power trio carried the night, Wentz stabilized the rotation with 5 1/3 solid frames, and Profar supplied a timely spark. Olson, Ozuna and Harris II are hot—and with Wentz steady and the Braves in a favorable schedule, rostering Braves bats and Wentz remains appealing for the short term. Miami’s lineup sputtered and will need Cease-fire relief from Quantrill in future starts to slow Atlanta’s momentum.