By: Mike Guerriere
After an exciting 3-1 series victory over the Washington Nationals, The Atlanta Braves look to continue their tremendous success this season as they get ready to host the playoff hungry Chicago Cubs.
Fresh off their 100th win of the season, the Braves are in a prime position to make a deep postseason run. With the best record in the MLB (100-56) and a commanding 13-game lead in the NL East, they’ve shown the league that they mean business. Along with the team’s overall success, the individual accolades of Ronald Acuna Jr have not gone unnoticed. Reaching a milestone that no man has ever completed, not only becoming part of the 40/40 club, he started a club of his own becoming the first ever player to reach 40 home runs and 60 stolen bases in one season. Acunas performance and a strong young bullpen that ranks within the top 10 of team ERA (3.81) will contribute heavily in tonight’s matchup vs the Cubs.
Braves Ronald Acuña has joined the:
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) September 22, 2023
40/40 Club✅
40/50 Club✅
40/60 Club✅
pic.twitter.com/cWEXKYdbat
The Chicago Cubs enter their final two series of the season with a one-game lead over the Miami Marlins in the race for a wild card spot, and they are also tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second wild card slot in the National League. The Cubs, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2020, will need to strive for perfection as they have yet to find excellence on the road this season. Heading into tonight’s game the Cubs are riding a three game win streak, but will have the five game road losing skid on the back of their minds.
Taking the mound for the Chicago Cubs is lefty Justin Steele (16-5, 3.00 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 170 Strikeouts). Steele, a rising star in the Cubs’ rotation, has shown flashes of brilliance this season. With a lively fastball and a devastating breaking ball, he has the potential to keep the Braves’ potent lineup at bay. Cubs fans will be eager to see if he can rise to the occasion and deliver a performance to keep the hopes of a wild card spot alive.
'Give me the ball': Inside Justin Steele's long climb to the top of the Cubs rotation https://t.co/OLRy3Z6Wvo
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) September 26, 2023
Opposing Steele for the Braves is the young and promising Bryce Elder (12-4, 3.63 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 126 strikeouts). Making his way up from the minor leagues, Elder is known for his composure on the mound and an impressive array of pitches. This game provides him with an opportunity to prove his worth at the Major League level, as all Braves fans will be watching closely to see how he handles the pressure during a very important game.
Don’t miss a pitch, as Game one of the Atlanta Braves (100-56 1st in NL East) second three game series vs the Chicago Cubs (82-74 2nd in NL Central) is tonight at 7:05 PM on 730 The Game.
