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Ronald Acuna Jr. leads the Atlanta Braves (102-56) into a matchup against Cody Bellinger and the Chicago Cubs (82-76) on Thursday at 7:20 PM ET at Truist Park. Acuna is hitting .336, the second-best batting average in the majors, for the favored Braves (-142), while Bellinger is sixth in MLB play with a .310 batting average this season for the underdog Cubs (+121). AJ Smith-Shawver starts for Atlanta while Chicago will counter with Marcus Stroman.
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Game Info, Betting Lines for Braves vs. Cubs
- Game Day: Thursday, September 28, 2023
- Game Time: 7:20 PM ET
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Stadium: Truist Park
| Favorite | Favorite Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Braves | -142 | 9.5 |
How Do I Watch the Braves vs. the Cubs?
- TV Channel: BSSO
Braves Stats & Trends
Braves Batting
- The Atlanta Braves average 1.9 home runs per game and have hit a league-best 303 home runs in total.
- Atlanta’s .275 batting average leads MLB.
- The Braves are the top team in MLB play this season with a .343 on-base percentage.
- Atlanta strikes out 7.9 times per game, the fifth-best average in MLB.
- The Braves have hit 147 homers at home this season (1.9 per game).
- Atlanta has a .511 slugging percentage and is averaging 3.8 extra-base hits per game at home.
- The club averages 9.4 hits per game and is batting .279 at home this season.
Braves Key Batters
- Acuna leads Atlanta with an OBP of .414, plus a team-best slugging percentage of .596. He’s batting .336 on the season.
- Among all qualified hitters in the majors, his batting average ranks second, his on-base percentage ranks second, and he is fourth in slugging.
- Acuna has recorded at least one hit in 11 games in a row. During his last 10 games he is hitting .378 with two doubles, a triple, four home runs, a walk and seven RBI.
- Matt Olson leads Atlanta with 168 hits. He is batting .281 this season and has 83 extra-base hits. He’s also slugging .602 with an on-base percentage of .388.
- He is 20th in batting average, 10th in on-base percentage and third in slugging among qualified hitters.
- Olson enters this game looking to extend his four-game hit streak. During his last five outings he is batting .333 with a double, four walks and two RBI.
- Ozzie Albies has collected 161 base hits, an OBP of .331 and a slugging percentage of .514 this season.
- Albies has recorded at least one base hit in three games in a row. During his last five outings he is batting .364 with three doubles, a home run, a walk and four RBI.
- Austin Riley has been key for Atlanta with 173 hits, an OBP of .345 plus a slugging percentage of .515.
Cubs Stats & Trends
Cubs Batting
- The Cubs’ 191 home runs rank 14th in Major League Baseball.
- Chicago ranks 10th in MLB with a .255 team batting average.
- The Cubs have an OBP of .331 this season, which ranks fifth in MLB.
- Chicago ranks 14th with an average of 8.5 strikeouts per game.
- They’ve hit 87 homers, an average of 1.1 per game, in 77 road contests this season.
- Chicago has a team slugging percentage of .407 in away games this season with 232 extra-base hits.
- They are averaging 8.7 base hits per game and batting .250 on the road this season.
Cubs Key Batters
- Bellinger leads the Cubs with 151 hits. He’s batting .310 and slugging .532 with an on-base percentage of .359.
- Including all the qualifying players in the majors, his batting average is sixth, his on-base percentage ranks 27th, and he is ninth in slugging.
- Nico Hoerner is slugging .386 to pace his team. He has a batting average of .284 with an on-base percentage of .349.
- Including all qualified players, he ranks 16th in batting average, 39th in on-base percentage and 113th in slugging percentage.
- Ian Happ a has .361 on-base percentage to pace the Cubs.
- Seiya Suzuki is batting .282 with 29 doubles, six triples, 20 home runs and 57 walks.
Braves vs. Cubs Probable Pitchers
| AJ Smith-Shawver (ATL) | Pitcher | Marcus Stroman (CHC) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – 0 | W/L | 10 – 8 |
| 21.2 | IP | 134.2 |
| 4.57 | ERA | 3.88 |
| 1.246 | WHIP | 1.248 |
| 7.5 | K/9 | 7.8 |
| 4.2 | BB/9 | 3.5 |
Braves vs. Cubs Injury Updates
- Braves: Charlie Morton: 15 Day IL (Finger), Max Fried: 15 Day IL (Finger blister), Collin McHugh: 15 Day IL (Shoulder), Yonny Chirinos: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Nick Anderson: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Mike Soroka: 60 Day IL (Forearm), Dylan Lee: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Daysbel Hernández: 60 Day IL (Forearm), Kolby Allard: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Sam Hilliard: 60 Day IL (Heel), Huascar Ynoa: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Tyler Matzek: 60 Day IL (Elbow)
- Cubs: Nick Madrigal: 10 Day IL (Hamstring), Michael Fulmer: 15 Day IL (Forearm), Adbert Alzolay: 15 Day IL (Forearm), Brad Boxberger: 15 Day IL (Forearm), Brandon Hughes: 60 Day IL (Knee), Nick Burdi: 60 Day IL (Appendicitis), Ethan Roberts: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Codi Heuer: 60 Day IL (Elbow)
