The Braves Are Baseball's Hottest Team Right Now, and the Cubs Can't Stop Them

The Atlanta Braves didn't reach 30 wins until mid-June last year. This time around, they got there before anyone else in baseball, and they're not slowing down.

Atlanta (30-13) has won four straight games to claim baseball's best record. After spending just two days above .500 in 2025, this team looks absolutely nothing like the club that finished 76-86 and missed the postseason for the first time in seven years. Now they're knocking on the door of a sweep against the visiting Chicago Cubs on Thursday night, needing one more win to complete a clean series.

The Braves Are Finally Playing Team Baseball

Manager Walt Weiss has gotten contribution after contribution from the entire roster. Wednesday's 4-1 clincher featured a pinch-hit RBI double from Mike Yastrzemski and a two-run home run from Mauricio Dubon that sealed the series win. After the game, Weiss summed up what makes this team different.

"The guys are playing well. It's been really fun to watch," Weiss said. "Everybody's chipping in, even outside of their roles, in some instances. We're using the whole roster and everybody's performing."

Chris Sale Is Having the Season of His Life at 37

Veteran left-hander Chris Sale (6-2, 2.20 ERA) takes the ball Thursday and has been the anchor of Atlanta's rotation. The 37-year-old has allowed more than one run in just two of his first eight starts. Even when he loses, he looks dominant. In his last appearance against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sale gave up two earned runs across seven innings but took the loss in a 3-1 defeat.

"He was great," Weiss said. "We're going to win a lot of games with him pitching like that."

Since surrendering six runs to the Los Angeles Angels on April 6, Sale is 4-1 with a 1.36 ERA across five outings. Against the Cubs specifically, his career numbers are sharp: 3-2 with a 1.59 ERA in seven appearances.

The Cubs Are Falling Apart

Chicago has lost four straight games after winning 10 in a row, and they're on the verge of their first sweep of the season. The problem? They can't score. The Cubs managed just three runs over their entire four-game skid.

Manager Craig Counsell sees the frustration but knows the hits will come eventually. "We've had really good at bats and we've created action, we're just missing some hits right now," Counsell said. "The luck has kind of gone against us and it adds up to some tough offensive games."

Ben Brown, a 26-year-old who typically pitches out of the bullpen, gets the start for Chicago. In his first start since July 27 of last year, Brown threw four no-hit innings against the Texas Rangers on Friday, striking out three and walking one. Injuries to starters Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd, and Justin Steele have forced him into the rotation for Thursday's must-win game.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.