Getting the start for the Braves (70-37, 33-17 away) will be Bryce Elder against Javier Assad for the Cubs (56-54, 30-28 home). Today marks game two of their series, with the Braves currently holding the 1-0 lead. Read on to see my best bet for this Atlanta Braves vs. Chicago Cubs matchup.

ATLANTA BRAVES VS CHICAGO CUBS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Chicago Cubs +125

This game will be played at Wrigley Field at 2:20 ET on Saturday, August 5th.

WHY BET THE CHICAGO CUBS:

  • In their previous ten games, the Cubs have a record of 7-3.
  • The Cubs have gone 7-3 in their ten games at home.
  • Bryce Elder has struggled of late, coming in with an ERA of 7.05 over his last three starts.

ATLANTA BRAVES LOOKING TO EXTEND NL EAST LEAD

Leading up to today’s game, the Braves are 1st in the NL East on a record of 70-37. Overall, they have played in 35 different series, going 25-8-2. When playing above .500 teams, the Braves are 70-37, and currently hold win percentages of 64.9% at home and 66.0% on the road.

Today marks Bryce Elder’s 22nd outing of the season, with an 8-2 record and a 3.18 ERA to show for it. His OBP allowed is a stellar .295, while his WHIP sits at 1.19 after striking out 89 batters. Elder has been especially effective on the road, where his ERA is 3.83 compared to 4.17 at home.

Bryce Elder earned a quality start and the win in his most recent outing, as the Braves defeated the Brewers 11-5. The right-hander allowed one run and four hits over seven innings of work.

Offensively, Atlanta is ranked 3rd in the league with an average of 5.7 runs per game. When looking over their last five matchups, the Braves averaged 5.2 runs per contest, which is 9th best in that span. In terms of their power numbers, Atlanta is 1st in all of baseball, with a total of 209 home runs.

Matt Olson of the Braves is the leader in home runs this season, having hit 37. He has also driven in 92 runs and boasts a slugging percentage of .597.

WILL THE CHICAGO CUBS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

The Cubs enter today’s game with an overall record of 56-54, including putting together an above .500 mark at home (30-28). This year, Chicago has played in 35 series and have gone 18-13-4. Currently, they are 3rd in the NL Central.

Javier Assad has made 19 appearances for the Cubs this season, with an overall record of 1-2. His ERA stands at 3.24, and he has a K/9 of 7.2. Assad’s FIP is 4.35 and his OBP is .310.

Javier Assad’s most recent start against the Reds resulted in a scoreless 3 2/3 innings, with only one hit surrendered. Unfortunately, the Cubs were unable to capitalize on his performance and fell 6-5.

For the season, the Cubs’ offense is averaging 5.1 runs per game. Over their last five games they have swung the bats well, sitting 1st in the league in scoring, with a total of 46 runs. Overall, Chicago’s team batting average is .257, putting them 6th in the MLB.

Patrick Wisdom is the current home-run leader for the Cubs in 2023, boasting 19 long balls and 38 RBIs. His slugging percentage stands at a solid .493, making him an integral part of the team’s offensive production.