Braves vs. Cubs Saturday Prediction
The Chicago Cubs aren’t off to the start they would have hoped for but they’ll try to get jump-started against the Atlanta Braves today at 2:20 p.m. ET. Is the under a good play for bettors when these two teams meet again at Wrigley Field?
Game Snapshot & Odds
905 Atlanta Braves at 906 Chicago Cubs
Saturday, April 14, 2018
2:20 p.m. ET, Wrigley Field
TV: ATTR (COL); MSN2 (WSH)
Public Betting Trends
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook YouWager currently list the Cubs as a -178 favorite. As of this writing, 65% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Cubs to beat the Braves on the money line. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our MLB Public Betting Page for updated figures on this game.
Newcomb coming off excellent start vs. Rockies
Sean Newcomb shut down the Rockies in his last start, striking out nine over six shutout innings in Atlanta’s 4-0 victory. He scattered five singles and didn’t walk a player while navigating through a difficult lineup. Newcomb was a different pitcher in the start, especially contrasted with his 2018 debut when he allowed six runs in an abbreviated start versus the Nationals. He owns a 4.35 ERA heading into today’s action.
Quotable: “When we get a couple more guys up here, our bench is going to be even stronger,” Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman told reporters on Friday. “You’re going to go through injuries in a year and you need those guys to fill in and do a great job. (Ryan Flaherty and Tucker) have been doing a fantastic job for us the first couple weeks. They’re pretty much-winning ballgames by themselves out there.”
Quintana bounces back off rough 2018 debut
Jose Quintana pitched six scoreless innings last Sunday in the Cubs’ 3-0 win over the Brewers. He gave up a pair of singles to Lorenzo Cain and a double to Jonathan Villar, but that was all the damage that Milwaukee generated against Quintana. After struggling in his first start of the season, Quintana looked like he was in midseason form versus the Brewers.
Quotable: “You look around this room, look at our lineup every day, that’s not going to be an issue,” Ian Happ told reporters after Friday’s loss, according to the Arlington Heights Daily Herald. “I think we’re doing a good job of putting a plan together. We’ve hit some balls hard right at people. I had a few of those games.
“There’s going to come a point where everybody starts clicking at the same time and you’ll see a lot of runs go up.”
MLB Betting Trends
Atlanta
Despite beating the Cubs on Friday afternoon, the Braves are just 5-15 in their last 20 games against Chicago.
Chicago
The Cubs are just 1-4 in their last five home games.
Prediction:
Quintana is coming off a solid start but the Cubs are a little pricey on the money line and they’re not hitting good enough to back them on the run line. Thus, the total feels like a safer play. The under is 7-1-3 in the Braves’ last 11 games coming off a win, is 10-1 in Newcomb’s last 11 starts versus a team with a losing record, and has cashed in four of his last five road outings as well. On the other side, the under is 7-3 in the Cubs’ last 10 games overall and has cashed in seven of their last 10 home games as well. The under hasn’t been posted yet but check here for the official number.
The Pick: Braves/Cubs under