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Can Atlanta Braves or Chicago Cubs compete with Dodgers in the NL?

By Jake Mastroianni

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 4: Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves is tagged out at home by Willson Contreras #40 of the Chicago Cubs in the fourth inning of an MLB game at SunTrust Park on April 4, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 4: Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves is tagged out at home by Willson Contreras #40 of the Chicago Cubs in the fourth inning of an MLB game at SunTrust Park on April 4, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 03: Second baseman Ozzie  Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves gestures to the crowd after hitting a solo home run in the third inning during the game against the Chicago Cubs on April 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 03: Second baseman Ozzie  Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves gestures to the crowd after hitting a solo home run in the third inning during the game against the Chicago Cubs on April 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) /

Game 2 – Max Fried vs. Adbert Alzolay

The month of June has not been nice to Max Fried as he has a 6.53 ERA in four starts, but the Atlanta Braves are 4-0 in those starts as he’s gotten plenty of run support.

Max only gave up 2 runs over 6 innings in his last outing despite scattering 8 hits and 1 walk.

The Cubs will have a rookie, Adbert Alzolay, on the mound in this one who will be making is second Major League start. In his first start, he allowed just 1 run on 1 hit and 2 walks over 4 innings with 5 strikeouts.

He had a 3.09 in six starts at Triple-A this year with a WHIP of 0.94 and K/9 of 12.9.

The Cubs roster is a combined 1-for-28 against Fried.

Game 3 – Dallas Keuchel vs. Yu Darvish

This should be another great matchup against a couple of veterans in Dallas Keuchel and Yu Darvish.

Dallas was solid in first outing for the Atlanta Braves this year, but certainly, there is more to be desired.

The defense has to play flawlessly behind Keuchel in order for him to succeed, and that wasn’t the case in his first outing. If the defense makes a couple of plays behind him in that game, he probably only gives up 2 runs and might have gone back out for the sixth.

Yu Darvish has been up-and-down all season, but one constant is the strikeouts. He’s punched out 97 batters in 85.1 innings.

Atlanta Braves hitters will need to be patient and make him make a mistake over the plate.

That hasn’t been the case in the past as no one on the Braves roster has had much success against him. Albies is 3-for-7 and Nick Markakis is 3-for-6, but both of those are small samples.

Anthony Rizzo is the only Cub with much experience off Keuchel and is 2-for-5 in the lefty-lefty matchup.

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