Strider 5-13 with a 4.86 ERA; Braves have lost his last six starts; still considered elite by the market, but underperforming relative to his reputation.

Strider’s two-start arc offers elite strikeout floors with a high ceiling, though opponents and venue shifts may temper expectations.

Strider’s return from the All-Star break has shown flashes but also inconsistency and velocity dips. His Ks have dropped, and he’s 1-6 against the listed outs line since late July. Expect a riskier but high-variance game with Cubs and Braves’ power in play, as Strider tries to reassert his dominant form.

Strider's recent Ks dip against a Cubs squad that leans patient creates a prime under angle, leveraging Chicago's approach and Strider's current form.

Strider’s elite stuff remains the anchor in a Cubs stack, though lefty leverage and home-friendly splits keep Cubs’ Happ/Crow-Armstrong/Busch as risky but intriguing, given Strider’s performance against left-handed bats and the Cubs’ power upside.