The Braves and Cubs open a three-game series Monday, September 14 at 7:40 p.m. ET at Wrigley Field, and it is the one Monday game with a national broadcast. AJ Smith-Shawver (0-2) starts for Atlanta against David Peterson (7-8) for Chicago. Atlanta is 88-62 and leads the NL East by five; the Cubs are 83-67 and tied with Philadelphia for the top National League wild card. MLB Network has the game nationally alongside the two regional broadcasts.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| First pitch | 7:40 p.m. ET |
| Venue | Wrigley Field, Chicago |
| TV | MLB Network (national), Marquee Sports Network (Cubs), BravesVision (Braves) |
| Stream | MLB.TV outside the Chicago and Atlanta markets |
| Braves starter | AJ Smith-Shawver (0-2) |
| Cubs starter | David Peterson (7-8) |
| Records | Braves 88-62, Cubs 83-67 |
| Series | Three games, Monday through Wednesday at Wrigley |
What Is at Stake
Seeding for both. Atlanta has all but locked the NL East and is now playing for a first-round bye and home field behind Milwaukee and Los Angeles. Chicago is in a different fight: tied with the Phillies for the top wild card, which is the difference between hosting a wild card series and going on the road. San Diego is two games behind the Cubs, so a bad week at home flips Chicago from favorite to vulnerable. Kevin Gausman and Shota Imanaga follow for the Cubs later in the series, which makes Peterson the softest of the three matchups Atlanta will see.
How to Watch Without Cable
MLB Network is carried by Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Sling TV Blue and YouTube TV, so the game is available nationally without a cable subscription. In market, Marquee streams through the Marquee+ app and BravesVision offers direct streaming; MLB.TV is blacked out in Chicago and Atlanta.
Related: MLB games today, NL wild card standings, MLB playoff picture.
The Bottom Line
Braves at Cubs, 7:40 p.m. ET Monday at Wrigley Field, AJ Smith-Shawver against David Peterson, on MLB Network nationally plus Marquee and BravesVision. Chicago is tied with Philadelphia for the top NL wild card.