Atlanta Braves vs. Chicago Cubs Betting Analysis & Free Picks

Atlanta Braves vs. Chicago Cubs
Date: Tuesday, May 21st, 7:40 ET
Location: Wrigley Field
TV: BSSO
Money Line: Braves -127/Cubs +107
Total Line: 10.5

Betting Preview

Here’s our betting preview for the upcoming MLB clash between the Chicago Cubs and the Braves on Tuesday, May 21st at Wrigley Field. We provide you with a comprehensive analysis, odds, and predictions to help with your handicapping decision or tail our expert based on the projected lineups and listed starting pitchers.

Betting Odds

Charlie Morton and the Braves are facing off against Javier Assad and the Cubs. The money line odds have the Braves at -127 compared to the Cubs at +107. This game is being played at 7:40 PM ET from Wrigley Field in Chicago, and the over/under line is currently 10.5 runs.

Both teams are 2nd in their respective divisions, with the Braves being 27-17 and the Cubs sitting at 26-22. This NL matchup can be seen on BSSO.

Braves vs. Cubs Projected Lineup

Straight Up/Over-Under/ Runline Record

Atlanta Braves: 27-17 SU / OU 14-28 / Runline 23-21
Chicago Cubs: 26-22 SU / OU 20-26 / Runline 25-23

Braves Records & Recent Play

Heading into their last game vs. the Padres, the Braves closed out the series with a 3-0 win. Leading up to the game, they were the heavy favorite at -244. Offensively, the Braves scored their three runs on json11 hits and only hit one home run.

Chris Sale put together a good start for the Braves, going seven innings and not giving up a run. He also issued just one walk and struck out nine Padres batters. Marcell Ozuna was hot at the plate, going 2/3 with a homer and two RBIs.

Heading into today’s road matchup vs. the Cubs, the Braves are 27-17 overall, putting them five games behind the Phillies for the NL East lead. Atlanta lost three of four in their most recent series vs. the Padres. So far, they have been good against other teams in the NL East, going 10-5.

At home, the Braves have gone 16-8 this season, and they are just above .500 at 11-9 on the road. As the favorite, the Braves have gone 27-14 and are 0-3 as the underdog this year. Atlanta’s overall series record is 10-4-1 this year, and they will be starting a new series today vs. the Cubs.

When the Braves are on the road, they are a good bet to cover the run line, as they are 12-8 in those games. They have covered the run line in three straight road games and have an average run differential of +1.4 runs per game on the road this season.

Atlanta’s games have gone under the over/under line in 28 of 42 games this season. The average over/under line in Braves games this season is 9 runs, and their games have averaged 8.3 runs per game. Their games have gone under the over/under line in 97.7% of games this season, and their games have had an over/under line of 10.5 runs in just one game this season.

Cubs Records & Recent Play

The Cubs will be looking to get back on track after closing out their series vs. the Pirates with a 3-2 loss. This was especially tough, as they held a lead going into the 9th inning before the Pirates scored two runs in the top of the 9th. Chicago was the -130 favorite at home going into the game.

Jameson Taillon had a rough outing, giving up three earned runs on six hits and issuing two walks. He only lasted json4 2/3 innings, taking the loss. The Cubs also wasted a good performance from Anthony Rizzo, who went 2/3 with a run scored and a walk.

Chicago will host the Braves today with an overall record of 26-22, which has them 2nd in the NL Central, 1.5 games behind the Brewers. The Cubs closed out their series vs. the Pirates with a loss, dropping the series 3-1. So far, they are just 5-5 in divisional games this season.

At home, the Cubs are 14-9 this season compared to 12-13 on the road. As the underdog, Chicago is at an even 14-14 this year, and they are 12-8 when favored. The Cubs’ overall series record is 7-6-2, but they have dropped two straight series at home.

Chicago is 25-23 against the run line this season, including a 10-13 mark at home. The Cubs have a run differential of +0.2 runs per game overall, with a +1.1 run differential in home games and a -0.7 run differential on the road. They are 15-10 against the run line on the road and 19-9 as the underdog.

Chicago Cubs games have gone under the over/under line in 97.9% of their games this season, and their games have averaged 8.7 runs per game. The Cubs’ over/under record is 20-26, and their games have had an average over/under line of 8 runs. Their games have gone under the over/under line in their last two games, and their games have had an over/under line of 10.5 runs in just one game this season.

Pitching Matchup

Charlie Morton gets the start for the Braves today as he faces off against the Cubs on the road. He has made eight starts this year and has a record of 3-1 with a 3.52 ERA. Morton’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.15. In his last outing, he took the loss, giving up three earned runs in three innings of work. Before that, he had picked up the win in two straight outings. Morton has made four quality starts this year and is averaging 8.61 strikeouts per nine innings. For the season, he has allowed five homers and is averaging 3.33 walks per nine innings.

Through nine starts, Javier Assad has yet to take a loss, coming in with a record of 4-0 and an ERA of 1.49. He has made three quality starts this year and is averaging 7.82 strikeouts per nine innings. In his most recent outing, Assad pitched six scoreless innings vs. the Braves, giving up four hits and one walk. He finished with seven strikeouts in that outing. The right-hander has been especially tough at home, with an ERA of 0.88 compared to 2.13 on the road.

Braves vs. Cubs Offense Outlook

Marcell Ozuna has been on a tear for the Braves, as he is hitting .327 for the season and has gone 13/35 (.371) over his last 10 games. During this stretch, he has two home runs and five RBIs. Ozuna is also on a 13-game hitting streak. For the season, he is leading the league in RBIs (43) and is 3rd in home runs (14). Matt Olson is 2nd on the team in RBIs, but he is batting just .230 for the season.

As a team, the Braves are 10th in the league in runs scored at 4.6 runs per game. They have been even better on the road, averaging 4.8 runs per contest. Overall, they are 6th in team batting average and have the league’s top offense in terms of RBIs.

Christopher Morel has been struggling at the plate for the Cubs, hitting just .192 over his last eight games. However, he does have nine homers this season, which is 8th in the league and the top mark on the team. Nico Hoerner and Cody Bellinger have also been good power threats for the Cubs, with both players having seven homers this season.

Overall, the Cubs have been a below-average hitting team, batting just .230 this season. They are also just 14th in the league in runs scored, averaging 4.4 runs per game. The Cubs are hoping that their offense can get going, as they have scored more than four runs just once in their past five games.

Free Braves vs. Cubs MLB Pick

Given that the Cubs are the underdogs at +107, we see this as a great opportunity to take them on the money line. Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Javier Assad finishing with four strikeouts compared to Charlie Morton with seven.