Chicago Cubs vs Atlanta Braves – Series Preview (September 1-3): Overview, Game and Broadcast Info, Starting Pitchers, W2W4
The Cubs (78-59) took two of three from the Rockies in Denver to complete a 5-4 West Coast road trip that further solidified their playoff position. They were unable to make up ground on the Brewers for first place in the NL Central, however, and a Wild Card berth seems increasingly likely. Chicago gets September underway with a series at Wrigley Field against the Braves starting Monday.
It’s been a wildly disappointing season for Atlanta (62-75) after consistently reaching the playoffs the past 10 years. Brian Snitker‘s squad really started fading in June and dropped well out of the race by the trade deadline. They shipped out several bullpen arms at that point and raised the white flag on the season.
The Braves’ pitching staff has really struggled in 2025 with the loss of Max Fried to the Yankees in free agency hitting even harder than expected. The overall team ERA of 4.38 is the 22nd best in baseball and the rotation is even worse with a 4.61 ERA. Ace Chris Sale, who the Cubs will miss, was out with injury for a big chunk of the season but has been good with a 2.45 ERA in 16 starts.
Atlanta’s bullpen, which was better than the rotation for most of the season, has started to falter recently. The pitching staff as a whole has a 5.52 ERA since the break and has been shelled in several blowout losses.
The story has been somewhat better for the offense, which has a .714 OPS that ranks 14th in baseball. Ronald Acuña Jr. missed the beginning of the season after a knee injury in 2024 and has an impressive 15 homers with a .921 OPS in just 71 games since returning. First baseman Matt Olson leads the team with 21 homers and is a very dangerous middle-of-the-order hitter.
Ozzie Albies has had a tough season at the plate, but always seems to save his best for the Cubs. Despite their vulnerabilities, the Braves are a very talented one with several players that can still single-handedly win a game. Chicago cannot take them lightly and expect to win a series.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Monday, September 1 at 3:05pm CT on Marquee.
- Tuesday, September 2 at 6:40pm CT on Marquee.
- Wednesday, September 3 at 6:40pm CT on Marquee.
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | ERA | W/L | FIP | K/BB |
| 9/1 | Colin Rea | 35 | R | 4.23 | 10-6 | 4.68 | 2.38 |
| Spencer Strider | 26 | R | 4.95 | 5–12 | 4.64 | 2.76 | |
| 9/2 | Shōta Imanaga | 32 | L | 3.08 | 8-6 | 4.42 | 4.32 |
| Joey Wentz | 27 | L | 4.92 | 5-4 | 3.99 | 1.86 | |
| 9/3 | Cade Horton | 24 | R | 2.92 | 9-4 | 3.79 | 2.61 |
| Bryce Elder | 26 | R | 5.85 | 5-9 | 4.90 | 2.11 |
What to Watch For
- The Cubs had a 15-14 record in August.
- Kyle Tucker had five hits and three walks against the Rockies.
- Ian Happ went 6-for-12 with two home runs in Colorado.
- Horton has allowed four runs over 42 innings in the second half.
