The Atlanta Braves host the Chicago Cubs on May 14, 2026. First pitch from Truist Park is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on BravesVsn.
The Braves are favored by -178 on the moneyline and by -1.5 on the run line. The Cubs are +150 on the moneyline and +1.5 on the run line. The total is set at 7.5 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Cubs vs Braves prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Cubs vs Braves Prediction
- Cubs vs Braves Pick: Cubs Moneyline (+149)
My Cubs vs Braves best bet is on Chicago to win. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Cubs vs Braves Odds
| Cubs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -146 | 7.5 -102o / -120u | +150 |
| Braves Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +125 | 7.5 -102o / -120u | -178 |
- Cubs vs Braves moneyline: Cubs +150, Braves -178
- Cubs vs Braves over/under: 7.5 (-102o / -120u)
- Cubs vs Braves spread: Braves -1.5 (+125), Cubs +1.5 (-146)
Cubs vs Braves MLB Betting Preview
Chicago Cubs Betting Preview
The Cubs have been ice-cold since Saturday. The NL Central leaders are on a four-game losing streak and will face potential Cy Young candidate Chris Sale today in hopes of snapping it.
This season must be exhausting for Cubs fans. Their offense is one of the best in baseball, yet their starting rotation continues to take hits. They have lost key starters Cade Horton and Matthew Boyd to injury.
This has resulted in today's starter, Ben Brown, re-entering the rotation after a stellar start to the season as a "fireman" reliever.
Not only did they lose formerly healthy starting pitchers, but the potential return of ace Justin Steele is now delayed after a setback in his recovery from Tommy John surgery.
However, there is some good news with their starting pitching. Shota Imanaga has returned to 2024 form with a 2.32 ERA and incredible peripheral metrics. His 2025 season may have just been an aberration after a midseason hamstring injury hampered his performance.
Imanaga is just one piece of a five-man rotation, but he is at least doing his job. The Cubs need more from offseason acquisition Edward Cabrera and continued success from Ben Brown if they want any hope of a real playoff push.
Atlanta Braves Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Braves continue pulling away in the NL East. They are now nine games ahead of the second-place Washington Nationals. This follows a four-game winning streak, which ironically mirrors the Cubs' four-game losing streak.
The Braves, like the Cubs, have one of baseball's best offenses. Unlike the Cubs, they also have one of baseball's best rotations and are getting healthier as the season progresses.
Today's starter, Chris Sale, is pitching like the best version of himself, while former All-Star Spencer Strider returned to the rotation two weeks ago.
The Braves are also hopeful that their third frontline starter, Spencer Schwellenbach, returns in the second half following arthroscopic elbow surgery.
Furthermore, the most surprising asset in this rotation is former back-end starter Bryce Elder. Elder has been a revelation, posting an astonishing 1.81 ERA backed by a 2.90 xERA, 3.74 xFIP and 3.83 SIERA.
Elder's sub-2.00 ERA could regress closer to his SIERA, and his improvement would still be notable after posting a combined 5.59 ERA between 2024 and 2025.
The Braves look poised to make another serious postseason run, but they will need superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. to stay healthy this time.
Cubs vs Braves Pick, Betting Analysis
Despite the Braves' hot streak and the Cubs' cold streak, we are taking the Cubs today. Coincidentally, the Cubs rank as the best offense by wRC+ against left-handed pitching, and the Braves rank first against right-handed pitching.
While Ben Brown is not Chris Sale, his start to the season, even in shorter outings, cannot be ignored. He has a 1.82 ERA backed by a 2.57 xERA, 3.24 xFIP and 3.21 SIERA. He has been excellent regardless of whether his outings span two, three or four innings.
On the Braves' side, Chris Sale is no stranger to pitching deep into games. Sale has thrown at least six innings in seven of his eight starts. Three have spanned seven innings, and all three have come in three of his past four starts.
Sale will have to pitch deep into tonight's game, whether he is pitching well or not. The Braves' high-leverage arms are taxed. Both Raisel Iglesias and Dylan Lee are unlikely to pitch after throwing in back-to-back games.
Meanwhile, Robert Suarez threw 21 pitches last night, while long man Didier Fuentes threw 36 two nights ago.
The Cubs do not have much good to take from their four-game losing streak, but they do have a fresh bullpen. None of their high-leverage relievers or long men have pitched excessively in recent games.
While Chris Sale does have an immaculate 0.75 ERA at home, it is somewhat fraudulent. He is only achieving this as a result of an unsustainable 100% left-on-base rate and .196 BABIP. His K-BB rate on the road is actually better than at home this season.
With a little help from regression and the Cubs' offense mashing lefties, we should see the underdog pull this one off.
Pick: Cubs Moneyline (+149)
