Braves vs Cubs Prediction and Spreads
NL MVP hopeful Ronald Acuña Jr. is slated to be back for the Braves tonight for their game against the Cubs after a longterm injury set him back last season. Sportsmemo MLB analyst Eric Pauly offers his Atlanta Braves vs Chicago Cubs preview for Thursday, April 28.
Thursday, April 28 | MLB Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
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Moneyline: | Atlanta Braves (-205) at Chicago Cubs (+185) |
Runline: | Braves -1.5 (-105) / Cubs +1.5 (-115) |
Total: | 8.5 Runs (Over -105 / Under -115) |
Game Time: | 7:20pm ET / 4:20pm PT |
Where: | Truist Park in Atlanta, GA |
Weather: | 70 Degrees / Clear |
Braves vs Cubs Analysis
On Thursday night, the Cubs and the Braves face off for the final game of a three-game series. So far, both teams have won a game, making this the rubber match.
Kyle Wright takes the mound for the Cubs, and Drew Smyly takes the hill for the Cubs. The Braves are -205 home favorites, the run line is 1.5, and the total is set at 8.5 runs.
Ronald Acuña Jr. is Back!
After winning the World Series last year, the Braves are yet to build any true momentum so far this season. Atlanta is 8-11 and sitting in fourth place in the NL East. As a team, the Braves are struggling at the dish, batting just .229 with 74 runs scored so far this season.
26-year-old Kyle Wright will make the start for Atlanta tonight. Wright, who has made 17 career starts, has been phenomenal over his first three starts this season. On the year, Wright has pitched 17 innings and has allowed just two runs on 11 hits with 26 strikeouts.
Smyly Faces Familiar Faces
The Cubs have started off this season with solid offense and pitching, but it has not translated to a lot of wins. Chicago is 8-10 on the season and is in fourth place in the NL Central. Chicago’s offense is batting .267 on the season with a .416 slugging percentage.
Drew Smyly will take the bump for the Cubs. Smyly is 1-1 on the season with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. In his last outing, Smyly went five innings allowing four runs on six hits. Chicago will need a better start from Smyly in order to beat the Braves tonight.
Braves vs Cubs Prediction
The Braves deserve to be -205 home favorites in this matchup. Kyle Wright has been nothing short of sensational so far this season and the Cubs are solid, but not great by any means.
Due to the pitching matchup, I like under 4.5 for the first five innings of tonight’s matchup. I do not see the Braves getting hot early, and I do not see the Cubs tagging Wright. I expect a low-scoring game early on.
Prediction: Under 4.5 Total Runs Scored First Five Innings
Interested in placing a bet on Thursday’s Braves vs Cubs clash? Caesars Sports is offering up to a $1,500 match bet for first-time deposits in New Jersey, West Virginia, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, New York and Louisiana.
First Pitch | MLB Betting Preview for April 28
Join Drew Martin and a rotating panel of guests for First Pitch as we break down the daily baseball slate from a betting perspective. Drew Smyly faces his former team in Atlanta tonight attempting to keep his early season momentum going. Will he be able to contain the Braves? Join WagerTalk’s team of MLB betting experts every weekday at 1:45pm ET / 10:45am PT for First Pitch as we discuss the baseball betting slate.
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WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the MLB moneylines, run lines and betting percentages for all of Thursday’s baseball games, including this Braves vs Cubs showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Eric Pauly, @slimeaction on Twitter, graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in Finance. Eric is a die-hard Washington Commanders and New York Knicks fan and enjoys watching and writing about the NFL, NBA and MLB. His favorite gambling movements include hitting a +1000 future on Washington to win the NFC East in 2020 and predicting Jonathan Taylor’s breakout season with a +900 ticket for him to win the 2021 NFL rushing title. Aside from the sports betting industry, Eric also enjoys good eats, dynasty fantasy football leagues, daily fantasy sports and playing the guitar.
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