Atlanta Braves vs Chicago Cubs Preview
There does appear to be a chance of light rain in Atlanta on Tuesday, where the Braves and Cubs will face off at Truist Park. The forecasted temperature is 65 degrees. Chris Sale will be on the mound for the Braves, while the Cubs are starting Jameson Taillon.
Chicago comes into the game with a record of 24-18, while the Braves are 25-13. This game’s money line odds have the Braves at -196 compared to the Cubs at +163. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs, and BSSO is carrying the game on TV.
Check out BetCoco for Atlanta Braves – Chicago Cubs odds
Atlanta Braves Trends and Key Stats
- Over the course of their previous five away games, the Cubs have recorded a 2-3 record, with a 1-4 performance on the runline.
- On the other side, the Braves have gone 2-3 (SU) and 2-3 in their previous five home contests.
- The Braves have a straight-up record of 6-4 in their last ten games as the favorite, and a 6-4 record vs. the runline.
- The Cubs have a 5-5 straight-up record and a 6-4 record vs. the runline over their previous ten games as the underdog.
The most recent game o of this Braves vs Cubs series came right down to the end, as the Cubs rallied late but still fell short with the Braves winning 2-0 at home. Heading into the game, the Braves were favored at -135 on the money line.
Reynaldo Lopez started for the Braves and picked up the win, going five innings and not giving up a run. He finished the game with just two hits allowed but issued two walks and only had four strikeouts. As for the Cubs, Shota Imanaga got the start and took the loss, giving up seven hits and zero earned runs in five innings of work.
Matt Olson provided the only offense the Braves would need, as he homered twice, scored two runs, and finished with two RBIs. Ozzie Albies also had a two-hit game for Atlanta.
Atlanta Braves vs Chicago Cubs Prediction
Chicago is 24-18 overall and is 2nd in the NL Central, just a half-game behind the Brewers for the division lead. The Cubs are 4-2 in divisional games this year. The Cubs are on the road today, and they are 11-12 on the road compared to 13-6 at home.
As the road underdog, the Cubs have gone 7-10 this year and are 13-12 overall as the underdog. Chicago’s overall series record is 7-4-2, and they are 5-5 in their last ten games overall.
Chicago has been a strong bet on the run line this season, going 24-18. Their average run margin is +0.4 runs per game, and they have been a better bet on the run line as an underdog, going 18-7. They have a run line record of 14-9 on the road, where they have a scoring margin of -0.7 runs per game.
Chicago’s over/under record for the season is 18-22, and the average over/under line for their games is 8 runs. The Cubs’ games have averaged 8.9 runs per game, and they have played 42.9% of their games with an over/under line set at 8 runs. In their last game, the Cubs and Braves combined for just 2 runs, well below the over/under line of 7.5 runs.
Jameson Taillon has gotten off to a strong start to the season for the Cubs, as he has picked up wins in each of his first two starts. He has only given up 1 earned run in each of his first two starts, with his most recent outing being a 6-inning performance against the Brewers in which he struck out 7. Taillon has yet to give up a home run this year.
So far this season, the Cubs are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 12th in the league. They have been a better offensive team at home, averaging 4.9 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .237, which is 15th in the league. The Cubs are 10th in the league in home runs and have the 7th best on-base percentage in the league.
Christopher Morel has been a bright spot for the Cubs this season, as his nine home runs are 5th in the league and leads the team. He also comes into the game with a four-game home run streak. Morel has also gone 9/33 in his last 10 games. Cody Bellinger and Michael Busch are tied for 2nd on the team with seven homers apiece, and Busch’s 20 RBIs are 3rd on the team.
With their record of 25-13, the Braves are two games behind the Phillies for the NL East lead. Atlanta is 10-5 in divisional games and have won four straight games at home. They are 14-4 overall at home this year.
So far, the Braves have been the favorite in most of their games, putting together a mark of 25-10 when favored. As the underdog, the Braves are 0-3 this year. This season, they have been really good in day games, going 10-4, and their overall record is 9-3-1 in series this year.
The Braves have been a solid bet on the run line this season, going 21-17 overall. They are 9-9 against the run line at home, where they have an average run margin of 1.1. They have covered the run line in five straight games when favored and are 19-16 overall in that situation. Their average run margin in wins is 3.5, compared to -3.1 in losses.
Atlanta’s over/under record is 12-24 on the season, and the average over/under line in their games is 9 runs. The over/under line for today’s game against the Cubs is set at 8 runs, and the Braves’ games have averaged 8.5 runs per game this season. The over/under record when the line is set at 8 runs is 2-1, and the under has hit in their last seven games. So far this season, 73.7% of their games have had over/under lines set higher than 8 runs.
Chris Sale gets the start for the Braves today and comes in with a record of 5-1 and an ERA of 2.95. So far, he has made three quality starts and is averaging 10.97 strikeouts per nine innings. Sale has been particularly tough at home, coming in with a record of 4-0 and an ERA of 2.13. In his last outing, he didn’t give up a run, going six innings of work and picking up the win. Sale has won each of his last three starts. Overall, he has won each of his last four outings.
Marcell Ozuna comes into the game as the league’s top RBI man, and he is also 2nd in the league in home runs. Ozuna has been even hotter of late, going 11/23 in his past seven games with three homers. This stretch has pushed his season-long batting average to .329. Ozuna also has a seven-game hitting streak heading into today’s game. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud is also swinging a good bat right now, as he has gone 4/12 in his last five games and is batting .269 for the season.
As a team, the Braves are 7th in scoring at 4.9 runs per game. They have been even better of late, averaging 5.7 runs per contest in their last seven games. Overall, they are batting .255 (5th) and are near the top of the league in most other offensive categories.
Our prediction for today’s Cubs vs. Braves matchup is to take the over, with the line sitting at 8 runs. We actually have the Braves taking this one by a score of 6-5, but with the payout for a Braves win being -196, we like the over better.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Chris Sale finishing with the most strikeouts among all starters today, and he is projected to finish with eight K’s. As for Jameson Taillon, we have him finishing with six strikeouts.
Atlanta Braves vs Chicago Cubs Betting Tips
- Take the Braves on the moneyline
- On the run line we like the Cubs (+1.5)
- Projecting a combined 11 runs, we like the over
Atlanta Braves Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Matzek | Out | Elbow |
| Pierce Johnson | Out | Elbow |
| Reynaldo López | Probable | Back |
| Austin Riley | Questionable | Side |
| Angel Perdomo | Out | Elbow |
| Sean Murphy | Out | Oblique |
| Spencer Strider | Out | Elbow |
Chicago Cubs Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Jameson Taillon | Probable | Back |
| Drew Smyly | Out | Hip |
| Yency Almonte | Out | Shoulder |
| Dansby Swanson | Out | Knee |
| Adbert Alzolay | Out | Forearm |
| Julian Merryweather | Out | Back |
| Christopher Morel | Questionable | Toe |
| Daniel Palencia | Out | Shoulder |
| Caleb Kilian | Out | Teres Major |
| Jordan Wicks | Out | Forearm |
