Braves vs. Cubs Pick
Are the host Chicago Cubs going to keep it rolling Friday afternoon when they continue a four-game series with the Atlanta Braves? First pitch is at 2:20PM EST.
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Cubs are a -205 favorie to win on the moneyline. The Braves are a +175 underdog, while the over-under was not set overnight due to Wrigley Field wind factors.
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Pitching for Atlanta will be Mike Foltynewicz (10-10, 4.84 ERA), while the Cubs turn to John Lackey (10-10, 4.98). Foltynewicz comes in with 130 strikeouts across 137 1/3 innings and his WHIP is 1.51. He was awful for three starts in a row but improved his last outing, giving up one earned run on four hits with six strikeouts and three walks over five innings in a 3-0 home loss to Colorado. Lackey has a 1.35 WHIP with 126 strikeouts in 141 innings. He has been poor in his last two starts, both on the road, as he’s allowed a combined 10 earned runs in 10 innings. Lackey has a 4.48 ERA in 11 home starts.
Atlanta has a 59-73 record and is 30-37 on the road, while Chicago is 73-60 and 38-28 at home. The Cubs won the series opener 6-2 and have won all four games in the season series. The over-under is 2-2.
On Thursday, Kyle Hendricks allowed two runs (one earned) over 6 2/3 innings to pick up the win. Jon Jay was 4-for-5 with a triple and two runs, while Kris Bryant went 2-for-5 with a double and a home run for two runs and two RBIs. Sean Newcomb gave up three runs (two earned) over five innings to take the loss. Ozzie Albies was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI, while Lane Adams hit a pinch-hit solo home run. Nick Markakis was 2-for-3 with a walk.
The Cubs are simply too hot offensively right now and Foltynewicz has struggled with consistency all season. When he’s bad, he’s really bad. The only player in the Braves lineup Lackey needs to be very careful with is Freddie Freeman and he is playing with a wrist he admits is not 100 percent. Take the chalk with the streaking Cubs.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: CHICAGO CUBS -205