Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Picks & Predictions
The Chicago Cubs will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second game of a three-game divisional series on Saturday afternoon. Justin Steele will be starting for the Cubs and
Game outlook
The Chicago Cubs will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second game of a three-game divisional series on Saturday afternoon. Justin Steele will be starting for the Cubs and Paul Skenes will take the mound for the Pirates. The Cubs have a strong record against the Pirates from last season and are currently the betting favorite with a -113 opening line that has remained unchanged.
Betting Odds
Moneyline: Cubs -113 | Pirates -105
Spread: Cubs -1.5 (+158) | Pirates +1.5 (-184)
Total: Over/Under 7 (-110)
Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Chicago will win straight-up is 53%.
Chicago Cubs
Justin Steele will be taking the mound on Saturday afternoon for the Cubs after making a successful return from the injured list earlier this week. Despite struggling against the Pirates in the past, his recent performance has been solid. The Cubs have had a mixed performance on the road, winning two of three against the Brewers but struggling against the Padres. Nico Hoerner has been a standout player this month, while Cody Bellinger has returned to the lineup. The team is averaging 4.58 runs per game and has a pitching staff with a 3.75 ERA. Overall, Chicago has a power ranking of 14, ranking 11th in offense, 13th in defense, and currently holds a 22-16 record for the season.
Pittsburgh Pirates Analysis
Paul Skenes, the highly anticipated rookie #1 overall draft pick, will be making his debut on Saturday afternoon for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Skenes, known for his incredible arm with a fastball regularly reaching 100-101 mph, had an outstanding performance at Triple-A this season with a 0.99 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP in 27.1 innings. Despite his dominance, Skenes will be on a pitch count, typically pitching four to five innings in the minor leagues. The Pirates have been struggling to gain momentum, dropping five games in a row recently. They have a 3-2 record since then and are averaging 3.53 runs per game, ranking them 28th in offense. However, their pitching has been a strength with a 3.70 ERA, ranking 11th in the league. Ke'Bryan Hayes, despite a disappointing season overall, has had success against the Cubs in the past with 12 RBIs and a strong .891 OPS. Bryan Reynolds, the Pirates' best hitter, is currently slumping at the plate with no RBIs this month and a .730 OPS. The Pittsburgh Pirates have a power ranking of 26, are ranked 28th in offense, and 12th in defense. In their last three matchups against the Chicago Cubs, the Cubs have won two out of three games. Make sure to take advantage of the best betting offers available from online sportsbooks!