The Atlanta Braves have been playing surprisingly good baseball over the past month and may be in a sneaky-good position when they take to the diamond Tuesday. The Braves dropped the series opener to the Chicago Cubs on Monday but Ender Inciarte and company are a stellar 9-2 SU in their past 11 games coming off a loss.
- The Cubs are 10-3 SU in their last 13 games against the Braves.
- Brandon Phillips is 9-for-16 with 4 runs in the past 4 games.
- The Cubs are 3-8 SU in their last 11 games after a win.
In order to extend those winning ways, the Braves will need to get past John Lackey. The Cubs pitcher will be making his first start since being placed on the DL on July 5 due to plantar fasciitis. Lackey has been sufficient as an innings eater this season, pitching at least 6.0 innings in 11 of his 17 starts, but has been rocked for 24 home runs.
Youngster Sean Newcomb takes the bump for the Braves in search of a rebound after back-to-back poor performances. The lefty has lasted a combined 7.1 innings in his past two starts while surrendering 14 hits and 11 earned runs. Newcomb has allowed left-handed batters to hit .316 this season, which may be a concern against a Cubs lineup that features plenty of southpaws.
Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick
Baseball betting oddsmakers, including Sportsbook, opened the Atlanta Braves as 131 moneyline underdogs in this matchup. OVER/UNDER total bettors saw the number open at 9.5 at shops such as Sportsbook.
OddsShark computer prediction formulas pick a 5.7-4.0 win for the Cubs on Tuesday. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming MLB matchups here.
Chicago Cubs vs Atlanta Braves Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Atlanta Braves sport a record of 45-46 heading into this matchup, while the Chicago Cubs sit at 47-45 on the season. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Atlanta vs Chicago injuries news.
The OddsShark MLB Power Rankings have the Atlanta Braves at No. 21 and the Chicago Cubs at No. 17 heading into this contest.
Statistical Matchup
Scoring stats point to some edges in this matchup. The game features the Atlanta Braves No. 16-ranked scoring average of 4.69 runs per game, against a Chicago Cubs offense rated No. 17 and scoring 4.67 runs per game. The Braves have averaged 9.12 hits per game to date this season, more than the Cubs hitters have managed (8.24 per nine innings).
Atlanta owns the No. 25 defense, allowing 4.69 men per game to cross the plate. That contrasts with Chicago's No. 13-rated defense.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
The Cubs enjoyed a 4-3 victory at the expense of the Braves on Monday, with Jon Lester throwing 7 innings of 3-hit ball at SunTrust Park.
- Chi Cubs is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Chi Cubs's last 25 games
- Chi Cubs is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
- Chi Cubs is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
- Atlanta is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games
- Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
- Atlanta is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Atlanta's last 21 games at home
Next Betting Matchups
Chicago at Atlanta, Wednesday, July 19
