Kyle Hendricks will get the start for the Cubs (56-53, 30-27 home) as they host the Braves (69-37, 32-17 away) at Wrigley Field. The Braves will give the starting nod to Max Fried. Check out my prediction for game one of this National League matchup between the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs.

ATLANTA BRAVES VS CHICAGO CUBS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Chicago Cubs +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Wrigley Field at 2:20 ET on Friday, August 4th.

WHY BET THE CHICAGO CUBS:

  • Against the runline, the Cubs have gone 7-3 in their ten games at home.
  • The last ten times the Cubs have been the underdog, they are 6-4 against the runline.
  • The Cubs are 2-1 in Kyle Hendricks’ last five starts.

ATLANTA BRAVES LOOK TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS ON THE ROAD

Leading up to today’s game, the Braves are 1st in the NL East on a record of 69-37. Overall, they have played in 35 different series, going 25-8-2. When playing above .500 teams, the Braves are 69-37, and currently hold win percentages of 64.9% at home and 65.3% on the road.

Max Fried is off to a strong start in 2023, boasting an overall record of 2-1 and an ERA of 2.08. On the road, he has been especially impressive with a .90 ERA and 2-0 record. At home, his numbers are still solid at 0-1 and 3.75 ERA, while his season-long WHIP stands at 1.08 with opponents hitting just .222 against him with a slugging percentage of .313.

Max Fried will look to improve upon his last outing, in which he pitched six innings and gave up five earned runs on eight hits. Unfortunately, the Braves were unable to come away with a win, losing 9-4 to the Orioles.

As a team, Atlanta has scuffled at the plate over their last ten games, with a combined batting average of just .211. Compared to other teams, this is just 25th in that span. When looking at the team’s power numbers, they have a season-long slugging percentage of .498% while going deep a total of 206 times (1st). Overall, the Braves are 3rd in the MLB at 5.7 runs per contest.

Over the Braves’ last five games, Matt Olson has been a force at the plate, leading the team with four home runs. His season total stands at 37 long balls, and he is batting .262.

WILL THE CHICAGO CUBS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Chicago heads into today’s game ranked 3rd in the NL Central on an overall record of 56-53. The Cubs have won two straight series at home and have an overall home record of 30-27. Against the runline, their overall record is 60-49, including going 30-27 vs. the runline at home. When looking at their over/under mark, the Cubs are 57-47.

Kyle Hendricks has taken the mound 13 times in 2021, boasting a record of 4-5. The right-hander has been on a three game streak of not allowing a home-run and his current slugging percentage allowed is .359. Hendricks has struck out 48 batters this season and his WHIP stands at 1.06.

The Cubs are hoping for another strong performance from Kyle Hendricks as he recently completed a quality start against the Cardinals. Despite Hendricks pitching seven innings and giving up only three runs, the Cubs still fell to St. Louis 3-0.

The Cubs have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 23 home runs over their last ten games. Compared to other clubs, this is 1st best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 12th in home runs and 8th in slugging percentage. Overall, Chicago is averaging 5.1 runs per game (5th).

Nico Hoerner has been the Cubs’ offensive leader this season, boasting a .277 batting average. He’s also posted a .400 slugging percentage and .330 on-base percentage, making him an integral part of the team’s success.