The Pittsburgh Pirates will play their divisional foe Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. NBC Sports Chicago will broadcast the action. The game gets underway at 2:20 p.m. ET.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs Odds
The Cubs are 6-5 SU and 5-5 ATS. The team’s lost 3.3 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 0.0 units against the spread (ATS). Chicago has a 3-4 ATS mark over its last seven games and the total has gone under in five of those seven. The Pirates are 8-3 SU and have gone 7-3 ATS. In total, the team’s accumulated 6.0 units for moneyline gamblers in this young season and 5.3 units ATS. Pittsburgh has covered the spread four times in its last seven games and the over has cashed in five of those seven.
Cubs games have an over/under record of 4-6 so far in 2018. Pittsburgh has an over/under record of 7-3.
The Pirates have gained 5.0 units and are 6-3 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher this year. The over has hit in six of those games, as opposed to three that’ve gone under against righty starters. On the other hand, the Cubs have lost 0.3 units and are 4-3 ATS when facing a righty starter. The over’s cashed in four of those games, compared to three that went under the total.
Trevor Williams (2-0, 1.59 ERA) will get the start for Pittsburgh. The right-handed Williams started 25 games last year while finishing the season 7-9 overall with a 4.07 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. He made three starts against the Cubs in 2017 and put together a 1-2 record against them with a 4.82 ERA and 13 strikeouts.
The Cubbies will put the ball in the hands of righty Kyle Hendricks (0-0, 4.09 ERA), who started 24 games last year while finishing the season 7-5 overall with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. He made three starts against the Pirates a year ago and registered a 1-1 record with a 2.55 ERA and eight strikeouts.
Chicago’s pitching staff has yielded 3.5 runs per game overall this season as a unit. Its starters have an ERA of 4.60, a WHIP of 1.47 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 7.5. The bullpen has recorded a solid ERA of just 1.55, a WHIP of 0.93 and a K/9 of 9.1. In seven games against divisional foes, Cubs starters have an ERA of 3.46 and the bullpen’s ERA is 2.42.
Chicago’s hitters are putting up 5.2 runs per outing, including 6.0 per game over their last five. The team has a slash-line of .273/.350/.494 over its last five matchups and is 3-2 SU during that stretch.
The Cubs’ offense has been led by third baseman Kris Bryant and second baseman Javier Baez. Bryant is hitting .348/.464/.630 with 16 hits, eight RBIs and seven runs scored, while Baez’s line is .229/.372/.714 with eight hits, 10 RBIs and 10 runs.
In the other dugout, Pittsburgh’s pitching staff allowed 5.2 runs per game and its starters own a 3.53 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 7.35 K/9. The bullpen has managed an ERA of 7.51, along with a K/9 of 7.51.
Pirates hitters have slashed .282/.355/.460 on their way to 6.5 runs scored per game in 2018, including over the team’s last five contests (3-2 SU).
Outfielders Gregory Polanco and Starling Marte have led Pittsburgh’s hitters. Polanco is slashing .243/.383/.595 with nine hits, 13 RBIs and nine runs scored, while Marte (.262/.367/.548) is up to 11 hits, two homers, five RBIs and 10 runs scored.
Marte didn’t seem to enjoy hitting against righty pitching on the road last season. Over 128 such plate appearances, he put up a slash line of .250/.289/.317 (compared to his total season line of .275/.333/.379).
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Cubs, ATS Winner – Pirates, O/U – OVER
Notes
Betting Notes
The Cubs have won three of their last four games SU.
Chicago has posted 23.3 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 25.2 over its last five.
The Pirates have hit 12 home runs in their last 10 games. The Cubs have hit 10 over their last 10.
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