The Cubs (82-74, 37-38 away) travel to take on the Braves (100-56, 48-27 home) in game one of this National League matchup. Justin Steele is getting the start for the Cubs while Bryce Elder is starting for the Braves. See who I like to pick up the win in today’s Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta Braves showdown at Truist Park.

CHICAGO CUBS VS ATLANTA BRAVES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Chicago Cubs +119

This game will be played at Truist Park at 7:20 ET on Tuesday, September 26th.

WHY BET THE CHICAGO CUBS:

  • In their last five games, the Cubs have a record of 3-2.
  • The Cubs will be taking on a Braves club that is just 4-6 over their last ten games.
  • Opponents are hitting a healthy .311 against Bryce Elder in his last two starts.

CHICAGO CUBS SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR ROAD RECORD

On an overall record of 82-74, the Cubs are 2nd in the NL Central. In their 49 series, Chicago has gone 25-18-6 which includes losing each of their last three sets. On the road, the Cubs are 37-38 and are 45-36 at home.

Justin Steele has had a stellar season thus far, boasting a 16-5 record and 3.00 ERA. His 11 road appearances have seen him post an ERA of 3.59 and 4-2 record, while his home stats are even more impressive with 12 wins and 3 losses, as well as an ERA of 3.30. His WHIP stands at 1.17, with opponents batting .244 against him and slugging at .356.

The Cubs were unable to come away with a victory in Justin Steele’s last start, as they fell to the Pirates 13-7. The right-hander was unable to make it through the outing, surrendering six earned runs on eight hits in a shortened appearance.

Offensively, Chicago is ranked 7th in the league with an average of 5.1 runs per game. When looking over their last five matchups, the Cubs averaged 5.8 runs per contest, which is 6th best in that span. In terms of their power numbers, Chicago is 13th in all of baseball, with a total of 189 home runs.

For the past ten games, Seiya Suzuki has been at the top of the Cubs’ home run leaderboard with two long balls, bringing his season total to 20. He has also maintained an impressive .283 batting average throughout the year.

WILL THE ATLANTA BRAVES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Leading up to today’s game, the Braves are 1st in the NL East on a record of 100-56. Overall, they have played in 50 different series, going 34-12-4. When playing above .500 teams, the Braves are 100-56, and currently hold win percentages of 64.0% at home and 64.2% on the road.

The Braves will turn to starter Bryce Elder, who has been a reliable presence in the rotation this season. With an overall record of 12-4 after 30 appearances, Elder has posted an ERA of 3.63 and a K/9 figure of 6.63. Additionally, his FIP stands at 4.40 and his OBP is .303.

Bryce Elder’s most recent outing with the Braves saw him toss 3 2/3 frames, although he was unable to secure a victory. The right-hander yielded four runs on three hits, and the team ultimately fell to the Phillies by a score of 6-5.

Having gone deep 8 times in their last five games, the Braves are 4th in that span. At 5.8 runs per game, Atlanta is 1st in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .275 while hitting a total of 299 home runs (1st).

Ozzie Albies has been a key contributor to the Braves’ offensive success this season, boasting a .273 batting average and slugging .504. Over the team’s last ten games, Albies has been on fire, leading Atlanta in hits with a .346 average.