The first pitch for the Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta Braves game is set for 7:15 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 14, with the Braves entering as home favorites, returning a 1.53x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
Tonight’s matchup is the finale of a three-game series. The Braves won the first game 5-2 before prevailing again yesterday, 4-1. Will they get the sweep tonight? Or will Chicago get back on track with its strong start to the 2026 campaign?
Below, we'll break down our Cubs vs. Braves prediction and picks for Thursday’s MLB game, including the spread, over/under, and key player picks for PrizePicks.
Make your Cubs vs. Braves picks on PrizePicks now.
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Cubs vs. Braves Prediction, Winner Payout, Over/Under – Thursday, May 14
It’s almost summer in Chi-Town, and the Cubs have given their fans something to be excited about as the weather warms. Chicago is 27-16 and currently holds a 2.5-game lead over the Brewers and Cardinals for the top spot in the NL Central.
This impressive record includes the Cubs dropping their last four games, something they will surely be looking to put in the past with a big win in tonight’s matchup.
Speaking of electric baseball teams, we all may owe the Atlanta Braves an apology. Too many of us wrote off the Braves as the third team behind the Phillies and the Mets in the NL East. All they’ve done is start the season 30-13, with a +93 run differential, both of which are the best marks in MLB. Atlanta's run differential leads the second-highest mark by a whopping 24 runs.
Cubs vs. Braves Winner Payout, Over/Under – Thursday, May 14
The Braves enter Thursday’s game as home favorites against the Cubs, returning a 1.53x payout if they win outright, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
Here are the full payouts for the Cubs vs. Braves game on PrizePicks.
- Spread: Atlanta Braves -1.5 (2.08x payout)
- Over/Under: 7.5 (1.88x payout on Over)
- Game Winner Payout: Cubs - 2.38x | Braves - 1.53x
Play the Cubs vs. Braves winner or over/under on PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money — available in 35 states!
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Cubs vs. Braves Prediction on Spread – 5/14/26
Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Cubs vs. Braves prediction on the run line for Thursday, May 14.
Lock in your Cubs vs. Braves prediction on PrizePicks before first pitch.
- Atlanta is an incredible 30-13-0 (69.8%) against the spread (ATS) this season, by far the best record in baseball.
- On the flip side, Chicago is a mediocre 19-24-0 (44.2%) ATS.
- As far as the bats go, this game is a wash. The Braves lead baseball in wRC+ against RHP, and the Cubs lead baseball in wRC+ against LHP.
- Atlanta may have the edge on the mound, though. Braves SP Chris Sale (3.05 xERA) will take the mound against Cubs SP Ben Brown (4.53 xERA as a starter in 2025).
- Furthermore, Atlanta’s bullpen has the third-best SIERA (3.31), while the Cubs pen is below average with a 3.89 SIERA (18th).
Cubs vs. Braves Player Picks, Stats for PrizePicks – 5/14/26
Here are the top Cubs vs. Braves picks to target on PrizePicks for Thursday, May 14. Today’s MLB picks for PrizePicks include Ben Brown and Chris Sale.
Cubs SP Ben Brown vs. Braves Projection: 3.5 Strikeouts
- Brown has been pitching in a relief role all season and is now in the process of being stretched out as a starter.
- He only threw 46 pitches in his last outing, which were also the most pitches he has thrown in a game this season.
- Additionally, this is a very difficult matchup for Brown, as the Braves are striking out just 20.7% of the time vs. RHP, the seventh-lowest mark in baseball.
- The Braves could also simply knock Brown out of the lineup early thanks to a 125 wRC+ against RHP, which is by far the best in MLB.
- Last night, Cubs SP Shota Imanaga went 7 innings, which required just one bullpen arm to come into play. This means fresh arms in the pen and a potential quick hook for Brown.
Add Ben Brown to your PrizePicks Lineup now.
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Braves SP Chris Sale vs. Cubs Projection: 97.5 Pitches Thrown
- Here are Sale’s pitch counts in his last four starts: 102, 102, 100, and 101.
- The Braves are in the beginning stages of 13 games over a 13-day stretch, so preserving the bullpen will be crucial, which may lead to a longer leash for Chris Sale.
- The Cubs typically start two or three left-handed bats against a left-handed pitcher, which could give Sale multiple hitters to push through when he is coming towards the end of his outing.
- Chicago gets caught looking for 29.4% of its strikes (third-highest). This could mean some early 0-1 or 0-2 counts for Sale. Advantages in the pitch count can once again aid a deep start.
Add Chris Sale to your PrizePicks Lineup now.
Make Cubs vs. Braves Picks on PrizePicks
Two of the National League's best close a three-game series on Thursday night. Will the Braves finish the sweep, or will the Cubs snap their losing streak?
Don’t wait until lock — make your Cubs vs. Braves picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.
Pick players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re right. With Team Picks, you can make predictions on game winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
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