The Miami Marlins will be facing off against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. WGN will showcase this NL matchup and the action gets underway at 2:20 p.m. ET.
Miami Marlins at Chicago Cubs Odds
The Cubs are 18-15 SU and 14-18 ATS. They’ve lost 5.2 units for moneyline bettors and 3.9 units against the spread (ATS). Chicago has covered the spread only once in its last seven games and the total has gone under in four of those seven. The Marlins have gone 13-22 SU this year and are 17-17 ATS. In total, the team’s accumulated 0.3 units for moneyline bettors in this young season, but have lost 2.8 units ATS. Miami has covered the spread four times in its last seven games and the total has gone under in four of those seven.
Cubs games have a 14-18 over/under record so far in 2018. Miami has an over/under record of 16-18.
Southpaw Wei-Yin Chen will get the nod for the visiting Marlins. Chen is 1-1 with a 4.82 ERA and five strikeouts. He has yet to face the Cubs this year and did not record a start against them in 2017, either.
The Cubs are putting the ball in the left hand of Jose Quintana (3-2, 4.99 ERA), who has 27 strikeouts and 16 walks this season as well as a 1.53 WHIP. Quintana is 0-1 with two strikeouts and a 9.00 ERA against Miami this year.
Chicago’s pitching staff has given up 4.0 runs per game overall in 2018 as a unit. Its starting pitching staff has an ERA of 3.99, a WHIP of 1.37 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 8.2. The bullpen has a solid ERA of just 2.56, a WHIP of 1.20 and a K/9 of 8.9.
The Chicago hitters have produced 5.0 runs per contest, including 4.0 per game over its last 10 games and 5.8 per game over their last five. The team’s hit .271/.316/.437 over its last five games and is 2-3 SU during that stretch.
The Cubs’ batters have been led by second baseman Javier Baez and third baseman Kris Bryant. Baez is hitting .290/.333/.653 with 10 home runs, 32 RBIs and 24 runs scored, while Bryant’s line is .284/.415/.550 with five homers, 15 RBIs and 20 runs.
Baez particularly relished batting against left-handed pitching at home last year. In 58 such plate appearances, he slashed .358/.397/.679 (his overall season line was .273/.317/.480).
In the visiting dugout, Miami’s pitchers have allowed 5.1 runs per game and its starting pitchers own a 4.52 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 8.02 K/9. The bullpen has managed an ERA of 5.12, along with a WHIP of 1.35.
Marlins hitters have slashed .224/.296/.327 on their way to 3.4 runs scored per game in 2018, including 3.7 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 4.0 per game over the team’s last five contests (2-3 SU).
Miami’s hitters have been powered by catcher J.T. Realmuto and first baseman Justin Bour. Realmuto is hitting .309/.382/.515 with 21 hits, eight RBIs and 12 runs scored, while Bour is slashing .236/.347/.453 with 25 hits, seven homers, 17 RBIs and 12 runs scored.
Compared to his total season slash line of .278/.332/.451, Realmuto performed well on the road last year, maintaining a slash line of .323/.369/.543 across 314 plate appearances.
The Marlins have gained 1.1 units and are 5-3 ATS when facing a lefty starter this season. The over has hit in five of those games, compared to three that’ve gone under in such games. On the other hand, the Cubs have lost 1.4 units and are 4-6 ATS when facing a left-handed starting pitcher. The over’s hit in four of those games, compared to six which went under the total.
Miami Marlins at Chicago Cubs MLB Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Cubs, ATS Winner – Marlins, O/U – OVER
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Notes
Betting Trends
Miami has recorded 18.3 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 18.0 over its last five.
The Marlins have hit eight home runs in their last 10 games. The Cubs have hit 11 over their last 10.
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