Braves vs. Cubs Prediction, Betting Tips & Picks 6/17/2022

The Atlanta Braves (37-27) will look to Orlando Arcia, red hot after a four-hit game, to lead them in a matchup with the Chicago Cubs (23-40) on Friday at 2:20 PM ET. The Braves are -177 favorites for the contest, according to sportsbooks. Atlanta’s Charlie Morton and Chicago’s Keegan Thompson have been named the starters for this contest.

Braves vs. Cubs Spread and Betting Line

Computer Predictions for Braves vs. Cubs

Our computer pick: Chicago Cubs (+151) and Over (8)

Braves vs. Cubs Game Info

• Atlanta Braves probable starting pitcher: Charlie Morton
• Chicago Cubs probable starting pitcher: Keegan Thompson
• Game Day: Friday, June 17, 2022
• Game Time: 2:20 PM ET
• Location: Chicago, Illinois
• Stadium: Wrigley Field

Atlanta Braves vs Chicago Cubs Pitching Matchup

Braves Starter Charlie Morton

• Morton (4-3) gets the starting nod for the Braves in his 13th start of the season. He’s put together a 5.67 ERA in 60 1/3 innings pitched, with 66 strikeouts.
• In his most recent appearance on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the righty threw six innings, allowing four earned runs while surrendering five hits.
• The 38-year-old has amassed an ERA of 5.67, with 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings, in 12 games this season. Opposing hitters have a .265 batting average against him.
• Morton is looking to record his second quality start of the season in this game.
• Morton will try to extend a four-game streak of going five or more innings (he’s averaging 5.0 innings per outing).
• He will take the mound against a Cubs offense that is hitting .242 as a unit (15th in MLB). It is also slugging a collective .394 (14th in MLB) with 64 total home runs (17th in MLB).
• Morton has pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits while striking out one against the Cubs this season.

Cubs Starter Keegan Thompson

• Thompson (6-2) will take to the mound for the Cubs and make his seventh start of the season.
• The right-hander gave up three earned runs and allowed three hits in two-thirds of an inning pitched against the New York Yankees on Sunday.
• The 27-year-old has pitched in 14 games this season with an ERA of 3.67, a 2.167 strikeout to walk ratio and a WHIP of 1.245.
• Thompson has not earned a quality start in six starts this season.
• In six starts, Thompson has pitched through or past the fifth inning three times. He has a season average of 3.2 frames per outing.
• The Braves have scored 308 runs this season, which ranks sixth in MLB. They are batting .248 for the campaign with 97 home runs, second in the league.
• The right-hander has allowed the Braves to go 3-for-12 with an RBI in three innings this season.

Braves Betting Picks & Insights

• This season, the Braves have been favored 45 times and won 29, or 64.4%, of those games.
• Atlanta has entered 20 games this season favored by -177 or more and is 15-5 in those contests.
• Sportsbooks have implied with the moneyline set for this matchup that the Braves have a 63.9% chance to win.
• Atlanta’s games have gone over the total in 34 of their 63 chances.
• In 63 games with a spread this season, the Braves are 33-30-0 ATS.

Cubs Betting Picks & Insights

• The Cubs have been chosen as underdogs in 44 games this year and have walked away with the win 16 times (36.4%) in those games.
• Chicago has a mark of 3-8 in contests where bookmakers favor them by +151 or worse on the moneyline.
• The Cubs have an implied victory probability of 39.8% according to the moneyline set for this matchup.
• Chicago’s games have gone over the total in 32 of their 63 opportunities.
• The Cubs are 31-32-0 against the spread in their 63 games that had a posted line this season.

Braves Leaders & Batting Stats

• The Braves best power option comes in the form of Austin Riley and his 18-dinger 39-RBI season, both team highs.
• In all of MLB, Riley is second in home runs and 21st in RBI.
• Dansby Swanson is hitting .291 to pace his team.
• Swanson is 47th in homers and 26th in RBI on the season.
• Swanson has 10 straight games with at least one hit. In his last 10 outings he is hitting .400 with two doubles, three home runs, five walks and 11 RBI.
• Matt Olson has 24 doubles, eight home runs and 37 walks while hitting .248.
• Olson is on a four-game hitting streak entering this contest. During his last five outings he is hitting .182 with a home run, a walk and an RBI.
• Marcell Ozuna has nine doubles, 12 home runs and 16 walks while batting .233.
• Ozuna has recorded at least one hit in three straight games. In his last five games he is hitting .316 with two doubles, two home runs, three walks and three RBI.

Cubs Leaders & Batting Stats

• Willson Contreras has swatted a team-high 12 home runs.
• Among all hitters in the big leagues, Contreras is 25th in home runs and 102nd in RBI.
• Contreras has collected a hit in four games in a row. During his last five outings he is hitting .333 with two doubles, two home runs and three RBI.
• Ian Happ’s .282 batting average paces his team.
• Happ is 78th in home runs and 58th in RBI among all major league batters this season.
• Frank Schwindel has racked up a team-best 33 runs batted in.
• Patrick Wisdom has racked up a team-high 12 home runs.

Betting Tips for Braves vs. Cubs

After taking a look at all of the key statistics and trends for this matchup, our best bet is the Cubs on the moneyline at +151. Our computer picks see the scoring going over the total of 8 runs.