Can Cubs overcome Bryant’s loss vs. Braves?
At some point, the Cubs’ assorted injuries could well catch up with them. For now, though, good luck halting the team with baseball’s best record.
Chicago shoots for its 17th win of the campaign in this afternoon’s series opener vs. Atlanta, with a 2:20 p.m. ET first pitch in the Windy City. Oddsmakers at online sports book BetDSI like the host squad as a 1.5-run favorite. The over/under total, meanwhile, comes in at 7.5 runs.
The class of the National League Central put catcher Miguel Montero (back) on the disabled list prior to Thursday’s finale against Milwaukee, then lost third baseman Kris Bryant during the course of a 7-2 victory. Bryant, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, suffered a mild right ankle sprain running the bases. He had been in the midst of a 10-for-23 tear at the plate.
Through it all, Joe Maddon’s group keeps motoring forward. The Cubbies average 6.2 runs and lead the bigs with 114 walks. Then there’s the case of today’s hurler, Jon Lester (2-1, 1.98 ERA), who has permitted only one run in three of his four assignments. Most recently, the lefty twirled seven innings of five-hit ball against Cincinnati.
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None of this information makes the Braves feel any better regarding their weekend prospects. While Nick Markakis (.305) and Freddie Freeman (.247) are beginning to heat up, Atlanta still owns the majors’ worst mark at 5-17. Highly touted righty Aaron Blair gets his second start in a few hours, but the Mets knocked him out after just five-plus frames several nights ago.
Bryant will likely miss a little time for precautionary reasons, and Chicago can afford to proceed in such a delicate manner. With Anthony Rizzo (.308 with 12 RBIs in seven contests) and Ben Zobrist shouldering the load, the offense remains in great shape. Fredi Gonzalez obviously contends with an entirely different situation.
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