Atlanta Braves vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 5/21/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Atlanta Braves vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Bally Sports South

The Atlanta Braves (26-16) are headed to Wrigley Field on Tuesday where they will attempt to defeat the Chicago Cubs (26-22). The starting pitchers will be Charlie Morton and Javier Assad.

Atlanta has a slugging % of .406 and have been called out on strikes 374 times, while being walked on 135 occasions. They have accumulated 187 RBI's and 359 base knocks this year, while their average at the plate is .251. The Braves have hit 84 two-baggers as a squad and have hit 43 baseballs out of the park. They have accumulated 195 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .322. As a unit, the Atlanta Braves are putting up 4.6 runs per game, which ranks them 9th in the league.

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The Braves are sitting with a team ERA of 3.46 on the campaign (9th in baseball), and the staff has struck out 358 batters. Braves pitchers have surrendered 43 home runs and 157 runs in total (2nd in baseball). They have walked 126 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 3.85 as a team so far this season. Atlanta has given up 336 base knocks (8.0 per 9 innings) and 145 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.84 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.23.

Braves pitchers have gone to the mound with opponents on base 33 times in addition to having 46 appearances in high leverage situations. The relievers have racked up 22 holds on the campaign (22nd in MLB). The Braves relief pitchers have compiled a save rate of 63.2% and has come into the game in 41 save situations. They have accumulated 12 saves over the course of the season and have missed out on 7 of their 19 save opportunities. The relief pitchers have inherited 38 runners so far this season and 31.6% of those players earned a run for their team. The Braves have sent 132 relievers to the hill this year.

The Atlanta Braves are sitting with 1,130 putouts so far this season, as well as 414 assists and 14 errors. Their fielding rate is holding at .991 which has them ranked 1st in professional baseball, and have accumulated 36 double plays. The Braves have turned 70.5% of balls in play into outs in their 3,390 innings on the field, which has them sitting 9th in the majors.

Morton has taken the hill for 2,006 innings and has racked up 1,924 strikeouts in his career. His ERA is 3.99 (889 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.302. He has allowed 1,873 hits (8.4 hits per nine innings) with 739 free passes. Morton (133-114 win-loss mark in his career) holds a FIP of 3.78 and he has gone up against 8,586 opposing batters during his time in the majors.

The Cubs hold a team slugging percentage of .379 and they earn 4.42 runs per outing (14th in MLB). They have put up 69 doubles, while getting a free base 176 times as well as recording 212 runs. Chicago has accounted for 48 home runs on the year to go along with 198 runs batted in. They have struck out on 419 occasions (8th in the league) and have recorded 364 hits. The Chicago Cubs have earned a team OBP of .314 and a team batting average of .230 over the course of the season.

The Cubs are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.290 with a FIP of 3.81 as a squad this year. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 8.80 (418 strikeouts against 156 bases on balls). They are currently ranked 21st in the league as a staff in total hits allowed with 394. They have yielded 46 HR's and they surrender 4.31 runs per 9 innings (11th in the league). The Chicago pitching staff have conceded 204 runs over the course of the season while holding an ERA of 3.70 (175 earned runs conceded).

Chicago has had relievers step onto the mound in 21 save chances and they have earned 12 saves. They rank 21st in the league with a save rate of 57.1%, and they have dispatched 151 relievers to the mound for the year. Their relievers have come in 60 times in high leverage situations and also on 50 occasions with base runners. Chicago bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 35.2% out of 71 inherited runners. Sitting with 45 save situations, the Cubs have compiled 23 holds in addition to 9 blown saves.

The Chicago Cubs have gotten 27 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .982 (23rd in MLB). The Cubs have recorded 395 assists, 30 errors and have accounted for 1,280 putouts so far this year. In their 3,840 innings played, the Cubs hold a defensive efficiency of 69.1% (20th in baseball).

Assad (11-5 career mark) is the owner of a 2.67 earned run average while conceding 7.5 hits per 9 innings. His strikeout to walk ratio is 2.18 and he has gone up against 809 opposing hitters in his MLB career. He has conceded a total of 58 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.224 and a FIP of 4.0. So far in his MLB career, Assad has surrendered 163 base knocks and he has 166 punch outs in 195 frames.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Chicago

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