Chicago Cubs at Atlanta Braves, MLB forecast
Win probability
Starts from the pregame forecast, then moves with the score and the time left after each inning. Above the line favors ATL.
Game center
From the ESPN box score.
Top performers
Cubs- Michael BuschBatting1-4
- Shota ImanagaPitching6.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 K
Braves- Matt OlsonBatting2-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI
- Bryce ElderPitching6.1 IP, 1 ER, 6 K
Scoring summary
- 8Olson homered to center (417 feet).1–4
- 7Shaw hit sacrifice fly to center, Hoerner scored.1–3
- 1Acuña Jr. singled to left, Baldwin scored.0–3
- 1Baldwin doubled to center, Kim scored.0–2
- 1Albies homered to center (435 feet).0–1
The pick
Reconstructed from what was known before the game: the ratings at that point and the closing line.
Cubs 52%
Forecast Elo ratings alone
How often that comes true: MLB favorites the forecast gave 50–55% have won 52.7% of 2,871 graded games.
- Market
- CHC 52%
- ML CHC -120 / ATL +100
- Pre-line forecast
- CHC 56%
- Elo + market-implied
- Elo ratings
- CHC 53%
- Ratings vs. market
- +0.6 pts
- CHC: Elo 52.8%, market 52.2%
- Fair odds
- CHC -109
- ATL +109 · the forecast as odds, no margin
- Pregame projection
- CHC 4.3 – 4.2 ATL
- Margin from the forecast, posted total 8.5
How the number is built
Elo inputs in rating points (higher favors that team; 25–28 Elo is about a point of spread in football and basketball), then how the pieces combine.
| Factor | CHC | ATL | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team rating | 1533 | 1498 | Elo entering the game; 1500 is league average |
| Home field | — | +18 | Worth 18 Elo in MLB |
| Starting pitchers | +4 | +2 | CHC: Shota Imanaga: team allows 0.20 fewer runs than with its usual starter (≈10 weighted starts) · ATL: Bryce Elder: team allows 0.08 fewer runs than with its usual starter (≈10 weighted starts) |
| Elo ratings | CHC +19 Elo | CHC 52.8% | |
| Market-implied ratings | CHC 57.0% | Team strength as past closing lines priced it, same game context | |
| Pre-line forecast | CHC 56.4% | 15% Elo, 85% market-implied (log-odds blend) | |
| Forecast | CHC 52.2% | Follows the market (vig removed): in testing, adding the ratings made it less accurate | |
Tale of the tape
This season coming into the game, regular season, each number with its league rank (the longer the bar, the higher). Home and road: the host's record at home against the visitor's on the road. Opponent Elo: how strong the teams each has played are, 1st the toughest.
| CHC | Stat | ATL |
|---|---|---|
| 7th of 304.9 | Runs scored | 4.415th of 30 |
| 7th of 304.1 | Runs allowed | 4.622nd of 30 |
| 3rd of 30+0.8 | Margin | −0.319th of 30 |
| 13th of 305–5 | Last 10 | 3–725th of 30 |
| 3rd of 3037–34 | Road vs home | 34–3523rd of 30 |
| 16th of 301500 | Opponent Elo | 15029th of 30 |
| 5th of 301533 | Elo rating | 149819th of 30 |
Rating history
Each team's Elo over the last two seasons. Hover or drag to compare on any date.
Recent form
Last five results, and whether the forecast hit.
Against the line
How each team has done against the closing spread and total, coming into this game.
| This season |  CHC |  ATL |
|---|---|---|
| Run line | 65–78 | 68–75 |
| Last 10 | 3–7 | 7–3 |
| Favorite | 43–55 | 36–54 |
| Underdog | 22–23 | 32–21 |
| Overs–unders | 71–72 | 69–74 |
| Overs–unders, last 10 | 5–5 | 4–6 |
Against each game's closing line. Books set every line knowing these records: across 3,901 past games, the team with the better record against the spread so far that season covered 51.2%, short of the 52.4% a standard −110 bet needs, and over/under streaks held 48.0% of the time. They describe the past.
Head to head
CHC 6–9 ATL in their last 15 meetings; the forecast called 9 of 15.