Venue: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois.
First pitch: 7:40 p.m. ET (6:40 p.m. CT).
Probable starters: RHP JR Ritchie (Braves, 1-2, 4.50 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 53 K in 58.0 IP) vs. LHP Shota Imanaga (Cubs, 10-10, 3.88 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 156 K in 162.1 IP).
Weather Forecast
Mostly cloudy with a high near 70–72°F. Northeast winds 5–10 mph. 40–50% chance of showers, mainly in the afternoon/evening. Conditions could feature some light rain or delays possible around first pitch, with temperatures in the upper 60s to low 70s during the game. Wrigley Field’s open-air setting may see the wind factor into play.
Injury Reports
Braves: Reynaldo López (15-day IL, right shoulder inflammation — placed Tuesday), Lane Thomas (10-day IL, side), Bryce Elder (15-day IL, knee), Robert Suarez (60-day IL, elbow), Joe Jiménez (60-day IL, knee), Spencer Strider (60-day IL, elbow), plus others including Spencer Schwellenbach.
Cubs: Dansby Swanson (10-day IL, side/oblique), Justin Steele (60-day IL, elbow), Hunter Harvey (60-day IL, triceps), Ben Brown (60-day IL, neck), Phil Maton (60-day IL, knee), Riley Martin (60-day IL, elbow), Cade Horton (60-day IL, forearm), Shelby Miller (60-day IL, elbow), and additional absences.
Current active rosters feature key Braves contributors such as Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Michael Harris II, Drake Baldwin, and others. Cubs rely on Pete Crow-Armstrong, Nico Hoerner, Michael Busch, and available depth around the absences.
Recent Team Forms
Braves: 89-63 (first in NL East, magic number lowered after Tuesday’s win). Won the series opener wait—actually split so far (lost 3-7 Monday, won 6-3 Tuesday with late homers from Acuña, Albies, and Baldwin). Last 10: 5-5. Strong overall pitching (team ERA ~3.61) and power (192 HR). Away: 38-36. Opening a lead in the NL East.
Cubs: 84-68 (second in NL Central; Milwaukee clinched the division with Chicago’s Tuesday loss). Split the first two of this series. Last 10: 4-6. Potent offense (809 R, 208 HR, .251 AVG) but higher team ERA (~4.19). Home: 44-33. Still fighting for the top NL wild-card spot.
Series History
Braves lead the 2026 season series 3-2. Current three-game set is tied 1-1 (Cubs won 7-3 on Sept. 14; Braves won 6-3 on Sept. 15 with three late two-run homers). Competitive matchups this year. The winner claims the series.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups / Pitching Edge
Clear edge to Imanaga, a reliable lefty with solid command (low WHIP, strong K rate) and more innings/experience this season. Ritchie is a younger/less-established arm with a higher ERA/WHIP in limited work and elevated walk rate.
Notable hitters: Acuña, Albies (strong historical marks in some samples vs. Imanaga), Olson, and Riley vs. the lefty; Crow-Armstrong (power leader), Hoerner, and Busch vs. Ritchie. Wrigley can amplify power, especially with potential wind. Left-on-left dynamics and park factors will influence outcomes.
Betting Trends
Cubs favored at home with the better starter.
Recent series games have produced runs (Overs hit).
Braves have shown late-inning power and resilience on the road.
Game Odds
Atlanta Braves 7.5
Chicago Cubs – 135
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, September 15, 2026
