Chicago Cubs vs Atlanta Braves Prediction & Match Preview - April 27th | MLB Season 2022
The Chicago Cubs travel to Truist Park to battle against the reigning World Champion Atlanta Braves. This will start off as the first of their three-game series. Both teams have yet to find their form as at the time of writing. The Cubs have a 7-9 record while the Braves are at 7-10.
It will be a duel of aces and Gold Glove winners on the mound as the Cubs' Marcus Stroman battles the Braves' lefty Max Fried.
Match Details
Fixture: Chicago Cubs vs Atlanta Braves.
Date & Time: Tuesday, April 27, 7:20 p.m. EDT.
Venue: Truist Park, Atlanta, Georgia
Chicago Cubs Preview
After a seemingly hot start, the Cubs are now reeling, having won just one of their past six games. Their lone win came via a 21-0 thrashing of the Pittsburgh Pirates. What's surprising is that they dropped three out of four games against the unheralded Pirates.
It will be a tough few weeks for the Cubs as they face the Braves next. Their schedule doesn't get easier with the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres on queue after visiting Atlanta. Club skipper David Ross will have a handful to work on and a lot to think about on how to address the club's struggles.
Key Player - Seiya Suzuki
Still leading the league in OPS with 1.180, Seiya Suzuki is still the main man for the Chicago Cubs this season. He is batting .354/.492/.688 with four homers and 13 RBIs on 17 base hits.
.@suzuki_seiya_sb has brought his power to @MLB.
(MLBStats x @GoogleCloud) https://t.co/llnxZOZNCT
".@suzuki_seiya_sb has brought his power to @MLB. (MLBStats x @GoogleCloud)" - @ MLB Stats
It was a dream start for the Japanese sensation when he won the first NL Player of the Week honors to kick off the season. Look out for him as he'll be heavily relied upon in their series against the world champions.
Chicago Cubs Predicted Lineup
Starting Pitcher - Mark Leiter Jr.
- Nick Madrigal, 2B
- Seiya Suzuki, RF
- Wilson Contreras, DH
- Frank Schwindel, 1B
- Yan Gomes, C
- Patrick Wisdom, 3B
- Michael Hermosillo, CF
- Ian Happ, LF
- Nico Hoerner, SS
Atlanta Braves Preview
The defending champions are struggling to find form to start the season. Is this a cause for concern? For now, it looks like it isn't. They have and identical 7-10 record through their first 17 games as they did in their 2021 title run. Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson also claimed that they need at least three to four weeks to settle in with the team.
The Braves are still sorely missing the services of club star Ronald Acuña Jr. And this battle with the Cubs will test the drive and grit of the reigning world champions.
Key Player - Matt Olson
Growing up as a Braves fan, Georgia native Matt Olson wasted no time proving he can perform well — nay, superbly — replacing club legend Freddie Freeman at first base.
Matt Olson can hit, y'all. https://t.co/JCwq7Yu1k6
"Matt Olson can hit, y'all." - @ Bally Sports South
Matt Olson leads all NL batters with 22 base hits and is tied for second in the NL for walks with 13. He is also batting .355/.461/.581 with an 1.042 OPS and eight doubles to round it all up. He will be a big factor in this game against a struggling Chicago Cubs pitching crew.
Atlanta Braves Projected Lineup
Starting Pitcher - Charlie Morton
- Ozzie Albies, 2B
- Matt Olson, 1B
- Austin Riley, 3B
- Marcell Ozuna, DH
- Travis d'Arnaud, C
- Adam Duvall, CF
- Eddie Rosario, RF
- Orlando Arcia, LF
- Dansby Swanson, SS
Chicago Cubs vs Atlanta Braves Prediction
Both teams are trying to find their footing in the league at the moment. The Cubs are generating more power than the Braves at the moment. For this, we'll give the slightest of edges to the Cubs. Chicago wins, 2-1.
Where to follow Cubs vs Braves?
Watch: Marquee Sports Network (Cubs), Bally Sports South (Braves)
Listen: 670 The Score (Cubs), 680AM/93.7 FM The Fan (Braves)