Atlanta Braves vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 8/5/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Atlanta Braves vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Saturday, August 5, 2023

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

The Chicago Cubs (54-53) will go up against the Atlanta Braves (68-37) at Wrigley Field on Saturday. The pitchers taking the mound will be Bryce Elder and Hayden Wesneski.

Atlanta has a slugging % of .495 and have been rung up 859 times, while taking a walk on 349 occasions. They have 569 runs batted in as well as 960 hits on the season, and their team batting average is sitting at .269. The Braves have earned 176 doubles as a squad and have knocked 203 balls out of the stadium. They have a total of 589 runs and have an on-base percentage of .338. As a team, the Atlanta Braves are compiling 5.6 runs per outing, which puts them at 2nd in the league.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.98 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.27. Braves pitchers have conceded 115 home runs and 437 total runs (3rd in baseball). Atlanta has surrendered 860 base knocks (8.3 per 9 innings) and also 399 earned runs. The Braves have a team ERA of 3.84 so far this year (5th in baseball), and they have struck out 981 hitters. They have walked 329 opposing batters and their FIP comes in at 3.98 as a unit for the season.

The Braves bullpen have accumulated a save percentage of 64.8% and has entered the game in 129 save situations. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 133 runners on the campaign and 27.1% of them crossed the plate. Braves pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 90 times and also have had 121 appearances in high leverage situations. The Braves have dispatched 349 relief pitchers to the mound this year. The relievers have earned 74 holds over the course of the season (2nd in the league). They have earned 35 saves for the season and have blown 19 of 54 chances to save the game.

The Atlanta Braves have a tally of 2,802 putouts over the course of the season, in addition to 873 assists and 63 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .983 which ranks 27th in baseball, and have 90 double plays. The Braves have turned 68.3% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 8,406 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting 24th in pro baseball.

Elder has pitched in 175 innings and has tallied 136 strikeouts in his pro baseball career. His earned run average is 3.18 (62 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.207. He has conceded 152 hits (7.8 hits per nine innings) and has had 60 free passes. Elder (10-6 career record) has earned a FIP of 4.04 while he has gone up against 726 batters in the majors.

The Chicago Cubs have tallied an OBP of .334 in addition to a batting average of .256 for the season. They have struck out on 966 occasions (10th in MLB) and have earned 934 hits. Chicago has tallied 127 HRs on the year to go along with 521 RBIs. The Cubs hold a team SLG% of .418 and they are recording 5.04 runs per game (5th in baseball). They have recorded 170 doubles, while walking 386 times and scoring 539 runs.

The Cubs have a WHIP of 1.273 and have a FIP of 4.14 as a pitching staff on the year. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 8.30 (876 strikeouts against 335 bases on balls). They are sitting at 10th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits conceded with 871. They have given up 112 dingers and they surrender 4.49 runs per 9 innings (16th in MLB). The Chicago pitching staff have surrendered 472 runs for the season while holding an ERA of 4.07 (428 earned runs conceded).

Sitting with 77 save situations, the Cubs have accumulated 49 holds in addition to 9 blown saves. Chicago has called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the mound in 27 save opportunities and they have converted 18 saves. Their relief pitchers have come in 78 times in high leverage situations and also on 84 occasions with runners on. Chicago relievers have an inherited score percentage of 28.1% of 139 inherited base runners. They rank 10th in MLB with a save rate of 66.7%, and they have dispatched 325 relievers to the mound so far this year.

In their 8,523 innings on the diamond, the Cubs have a defensive efficiency of 69.8% (8th in the majors). The Chicago Cubs have turned 95 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .985 (17th in professional baseball). The Cubs have recorded 990 assists, 57 errors and have amassed 2,841 putouts this season.

During his pro baseball career, Wesneski has given up 84 hits while earning 87 K's in 97 innings pitched. Wesneski (5-5 record in his career) has earned a 3.78 earned run average while surrendering 7.7 hits per nine innings. He has given up a total of 41 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.106 and a FIP of 4.8. His K/BB ratio is 3.63 and he has gone up against 402 hitters in his MLB career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Chicago

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