The Pittsburgh Pirates will be taking on their divisional rival Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. WGN will broadcast the matchup and the game is scheduled to get underway at 8:05 p.m. ET.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs Odds
The Cubs are 5-5 SU and 5-4 ATS. The team’s lost 1.8 units for bettors taking the moneyline while gaining 0.9 units against the spread (ATS). Chicago has covered the spread four times in its last seven games and the under has hit in five of those seven. The Pirates have gone 8-2 SU this year and are 6-3 ATS. In total, the team’s accumulated 4.7 units for moneyline gamblers in the season’s early going and 4.3 units ATS. Pittsburgh has covered the spread five times in its last seven games and the total has gone over in five of those seven.
Chicago games have a 3-6 over/under record thus far in 2018. Pirates games have gone over six times, gone under three times and pushed on zero occasions.
The Pirates have gained 1.0 units and are 1-0 ATS when facing a lefty starter this season. The over has cashed in one of those games, compared to zero that’ve gone under in such games. On the other hand, the Cubs have lost 3.0 units and are 1-2 ATS when facing a left-handed starting pitcher. The over’s hit in zero of those games, compared to three that’ve gone under.
Steven Brault (2-0, 1.13 ERA) will get the start for the visiting Pirates. The southpaw Brault started four games last year while finishing the season 1-0 overall with a 4.67 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP.
The Cubbies are going with lefty Jon Lester (1-0, 2.89 ERA) as their starter. Lester recorded 180 strikeouts over 180 innings last year (with 60 walks). Lester finished the season 13-8 overall with a 4.33 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. He made four starts against Pittsburgh a year ago and registered a 1-2 record with a 4.66 ERA and 13 strikeouts.
As a unit, Chicago’s pitching staff has allowed 3.4 runs per game overall this year. Its starting pitching staff has a 4.36 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has recorded a solid ERA of just 1.49, a WHIP of 0.99 and a K/9 of 9.4. In six games against NL Central foes, Cubs starters have an ERA of 2.91 and the bullpen’s ERA is 2.45.
The Chicago hitters are putting up 4.4 runs per outing, including 5.0 per game over their last five. The team has hit .254/.340/.424 over its last five games and is 3-2 SU during that span.
Third baseman Kris Bryant and catcher Willson Contreras have led the Cubs’ batters this year. Bryant is hitting .317/.451/.585 with 13 hits, six RBIs and six runs scored, and the line for Contreras stands at .333/.409/.487 with 13 hits, one RBI and four runs.
In the visiting dugout, Pittsburgh’s pitching staff allowed 4.4 runs per game and its starters own a 3.22 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 7.52 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 5.86, along with a WHIP of 1.16 and a K/9 of 7.64.
Pirates hitters have slashed .286/.360/.462 on their way to 6.6 runs scored per game this year, including over the team’s last five contests (4-1 SU).
Pittsburgh’s hitters have been led by outfielders Gregory Polanco and Corey Dickerson. Polanco is hitting .265/.395/.647 with nine hits, 13 RBIs and eight runs scored, while Dickerson (.342/.359/.605) is up to 13 hits, nine RBIs and eight runs scored.
Polanco did not seem to enjoy hitting against lefties on the road last year, putting up a slash line of .194/.237/.250 across 38 such plate appearances (compared to his total season line of .251/.305/.391).
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs MLB Tip
Predictions: SU Winner – Cubs, ATS Winner – Pirates, O/U – OVER
Notes
Betting Trends
The Cubs went 10-9 SU against the Pirates last season.
The Pirates have won four of their last five games SU.
The Pirates’ bullpen managed an ERA of 4.98 against the Cubs last year.
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