In the last of a four-game series between the Chicago Cubs (39-31) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (39-31) at Wrigley Field, Jon Lester (4-5, 3.80 ERA) and Carlos Frias (4-5, 4.68 ERA) take the mound. The Dodgers won the last game 5-2 and Chicago leads the series 2-1. The game starts at 2:20 p.m. ET on Thursday, Jun. 25 and will air on SportsNet LA and ABC7.
In his most recent outing, Lester pitched 6.1 innings, giving up one run, striking out seven and walking three in a 4-1 loss to the Twins. Kris Bryant (.279, 40 Rs, 10 HRs, 42 RBIs, 6 SBs) went 1 for 3 yesterday. In his pitching opportunities against the Cubs, Frias is 0-0 with an 8.10 ERA, six strikeouts and two walks. Justin Turner (.323, 27 Rs, 10 HRs, 35 RBIs, 1 SB) went 1 for 4 yesterday with one run, one home run, and three RBIs.
Chicago is a -130 favorite in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is presently unavailable. The Cubs are 23-17 as the favorite and have an overall money line of +632. The Cubs typically don’t swing at bad pitches, which has led to an NL-high 3.5 walks per home game. Over their past 10 games, Chicago’s pitchers have been playing lights out, only allowing 2.4 runs per game, below their season average of 3.8. The Cubs don’t allow many hitters to get on base, ranking third in the league with a 1.19 WHIP.
Moving on to the away team, the Dodgers come into this game with a win percentage of .571 when playing as the underdog (4-3) and an overall money line of -840. Over the past 10 matchups, they are 3-7 SU and have an unblemished 1-0 record when they were an underdog to win. During the last 10 games, they averaged 3.0 runs per game, below their 4.2 season average. The Dodgers are known for their power, smashing 95 home runs. The Dodgers average 3.9 walks per road game, making them the most disciplined team in the NL when they travel. Switching gears to Los Angeles’s pitching staff, they have the third-lowest ERA in the NL at 3.32. They have a WHIP of 1.19, second best in the MLB. They also have some of the most overpowering arms in the NL with an average of 8.6 strikeouts per game.
In their previous three games this season, the Cubs have a 2-1 record. This game will feature Frias (RHP) on the mound against the Cubs, who have a 33-26 record when they take on a right-handed starter. Taking the hill against the Dodgers will be the left-hander Lester. Southpaw starters have been a big issue for them as they sport records of 1-4 on the road and 3-8 overall.
Predictions: SU Winner – LAD, O/U – Under
Notes
When the Cubs play into extra innings, they have a 9-3 record. The Dodgers are 3-3 when their games exceed nine innings.
The Dodgers managed to give up four walks in their last game. They’ll have to pick it up against the Cubs who are heading in with a 21-8 record against opponents who give up that many walks or more.
When they outhit their opponents, the Dodgers are 28-7. The Cubs have a 26-4 record when outhitting opponents.
Ranking 17th, Chicago is in the bottom half of the league in runs, scoring 291 this season. Los Angeles ranks in the top half at 11th with 309.
Chicago and Los Angeles both rank in the top five of the league in walks. Chicago sits at fifth with 234 this season and Los Angeles ranks second with 257.
When the Cubs hit at least one home run, they are 25-15, well-matched with the Dodgers who are 33-20 when hitting one or more homers.
