Braves counting on team effort as they attempt to sweep Cubs

It took the 2025 Atlanta Braves until June 13 to reach 30 wins.

Eleven months later, Atlanta -- with a new manager and a fresh supporting cast -- is the first team to reach the mark in Major League Baseball in 2026.

Next on the docket for the Braves will be completing a three-game sweep of the visiting Chicago Cubs on Thursday night. Atlanta (30-13), which spent just two days above .500 a year ago, has won four straight to improve on baseball's best record.

The 2025 Braves finished 76-86 and missed the postseason after seven consecutive appearances.

The current Braves clinched the series on Wednesday with a 4-1 win, getting a pinch-hit RBI double from Mike Yastrzemski and Mauricio Dubon's two-run home run to propel manager Walt Weiss' club to another victory.

"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."

Veteran left-hander Chris Sale (6-2, 2.20 ERA) will look to extend his excellent start to the year in the finale for Atlanta. The 37-year-old has allowed more than one run in just two of his first eight starts. Sale did suffer a rare loss in his last appearance, surrendering two earned runs across seven innings in a 3-1 road defeat against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"(Sale) was great," Weiss said of the pitcher's last start. "We're going to win a lot of games with him pitching like that."

Since yielding six runs against the Los Angeles Angels on April 6, Sale is 4-1 with a 1.36 ERA in five outings. In seven career appearances (five starts) against the Cubs, Sale is 3-2 with a 1.59 ERA.

The Cubs, meanwhile, have lost a season-high four games in a row after winning 10 straight and are in jeopardy of being swept for the first time this season. Chicago has scored just three runs across the four-game skid.

"We've had really good at bats and we've created action, we're just missing some hits right now," manager Craig Counsell said. "We've got a lot of guys that are having good at bats. They're just not ending up in hits. The luck has kind of gone against us and it adds up to some tough offensive games."

Typically used as a long reliever, Ben Brown (1-1, 1.82 ERA) is scheduled to make his second straight start following 12 appearances out of the bullpen. Brown, 26, threw four no-hit innings against the Texas Rangers on Friday in his first start since July 27 of last year. He struck out three and walked one in the no-decision. The Cubs won 7-1.

"We couldn't have asked for anything more," Counsell said of Brown's first start of the season. "I think he was dialed in. He was sharp. He was pounding the strike zone, getting quick outs. Getting him through four innings was unexpected to say the least. He did great and it was nice to see him take a big step."

Injuries to starters Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd and Justin Steele thrust Brown into the starting rotation, and he will make the 25th start of his three-year career on Thursday. Brown has faced the Braves four times (one start), going 0-1 with a 3.24 ERA.

--Field Level Media