Atlanta Braves vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 09/02/25

The Atlanta Braves will send lefty Joey Wentz to the mound for game 2 of this series, a pitcher who has spent much of the season bouncing between the bullpen and rotation. Across 78.2 innings, Wentz carries a 4.92 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and 67 strikeouts, struggling with consistency. His K/BB numbers are middling, and when his command falters, he tends to leave pitches in hittable spots. While he has shown stretches of steadiness—including a 4.06 ERA over his last seven appearances—he hasn’t been the type of arm to suppress strong offenses for long. Against a Cubs lineup that has shown more discipline at the plate in recent weeks, the Braves may need early run support if Wentz is unable to settle in quickly. It doesn’t help Atlanta’s case they are just 13-32 when underdogs this season.

On the other side, the Chicago Cubs hand the ball to Shota Imanaga, who has quietly emerged as one of the more reliable starters in the National League. The lefty enters with a 3.08 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts in 117 innings, consistently keeping hitters off balance with excellent command and weak contact. Opponents are averaging just 90 mph exit velocity against him, and he’s been able to go deep into games, working at least six innings in each of his last three starts. Even in unlucky outings, Imanaga has kept his team competitive, something the Cubs will lean on against a Braves offense that can be dangerous but hasn’t been as relentless as in past years. With Wentz’s inconsistency and Imanaga’s ability to limit damage early, the edge tilts to Chicago.

Braves vs Cubs prediction: Cubs ML (-172) available at time of publishing. Playable to -190.

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