Braves vs. Cubs odds, prediction, time: 2023 MLB picks, Friday, Aug. 4 best bets from proven model

Red-hot teams clash on Friday when the Atlanta Braves take on the Chicago Cubs in a key National League matchup from Chicago. The Braves (69-37), first in the NL East, have won six of nine and are coming off a 12-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. The Cubs (56-53), meanwhile, have won 11 of 13 and are in the thick of the race in the NL Central in third place 2 1/2 games behind first-place Milwaukee. Atlanta has won eight of the last 13 meetings with Chicago since the end of the 2019 season.

First pitch from Wrigley Field is set for 2:20 p.m. ET. The Cubs lead the all-time series 1,070-906, including a 584-405 edge in games played at Chicago. Atlanta is a -170 favorite on the money line (risk $170 to win $100) in the latest Braves vs. Cubs odds from the SportsLine consensus, while the total number of runs Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 8.5. Before making any Cubs vs. Braves picks, be sure to check out the latest MLB predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times. It went 331-285 on top-rated MLB money-line picks (+357) over the past two seasons. It entered Week 19 of the 2023 MLB season 49-39 on all top-rated MLB picks this season and has excelled on top-rated run-line picks, going 11-3 (+504). Anybody following has seen big returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Braves vs. Cubs and just locked in its picks and MLB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several MLB betting lines and trends for Cubs vs. Braves:

Why you should back the Braves 

Atlanta is expected to send left-hander Max Fried (2-1, 2.08 ERA) to the mound. He had been on the 60-day injured list but will be activated for the game. With the exception of his last start in a 9-4 loss to Baltimore on May 5, Fried had allowed just one earned run in his previous four outings. He has dominated the Cubs throughout his career. In four games, all starts, he is 4-0 with a 1.57 ERA. He has walked eight and struck out 21.

Outfielder and NL MVP frontrunner Ronald Acuna Jr. is among the offensive leaders for the Braves. He is coming off a 3-for-4 performance with a double, home run, three RBI and four runs scored in Wednesday's win over the Angels. He has six multi-hit games over the past 10, and was 7-for-11 with a homer, three RBI and five runs scored in a series against Milwaukee last weekend. In 22 career games against Chicago, he has homered four times and driven in eight runs. See which team to back here.

Why you should back the Cubs

Right-hander Kyle Hendricks (4-5, 3.49 ERA) will start for Chicago. Hendricks has been solid this season, allowing no more than three runs in an outing over the past three starts. Despite taking the loss in a 3-0 decision at St. Louis in his last start on July 30, he went seven innings, allowing eight hits, three earned runs and one walk, while striking out two. He has faced Atlanta eight times, including seven starts, but is 1-4.

Center fielder Cody Bellinger enters with a five-game hitting streak. In Tuesday's 20-9 win over Cincinnati, Bellinger was 3-for-6 with a homer, three RBI and three runs scored. In 32 career games against Atlanta, he is hitting .248 with five doubles, one triple, seven homers and 14 RBI. In 78 games this season, he is hitting .315 with 16 homers, 51 RBI and 60 runs scored. See which team to back here.

How to make Cubs vs. Braves picks

SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 10.7 combined runs. It also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only get the model's MLB picks at SportsLine.

So who wins Braves vs. Cubs, and which side of the money line has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side you need to jump on, all from the model that has gone 49-39 on its top-rated MLB picks, and find out.

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