Pittsburgh Pirates vs
Chicago CubsPredictions & Preview

Chicago Cubs Look to Maintain Division Lead Against Pittsburgh Pirates in Final Game of Series

The Pittsburgh Pirates (29-42, 5th NL Central) will face off against the Chicago Cubs (42-28, 1st NL Central) in the final game of a four-game series on Sunday. The Pirates have won six of their last eight games, including a 2-1 victory over the Cubs on Friday, but still trail Chicago by 13 1-2 games in the NL Central. Chicago has lost four of their last six games, but holds a 4 1/2-game lead in the division. Pittsburgh will be missing several pitchers and position players for the game, while Chicago will be without some pitchers and catcher Miguel Amaya. The starting pitchers will be Mitch Keller for the Pirates and Colin Rea for the Cubs. Chicago is the betting favorite with a current line of -166. Stay tuned for our in-depth prediction for the Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs matchup.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Pirates +147 | Cubs -166
• Spread: Pirates +1.5 (-150) | Cubs -1.5 (+125)
• Total: Over/Under 7.5 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Chicago will win straight-up is 62%.

Pittsburgh vs Chicago Stats

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are struggling offensively, ranking near the bottom in various categories including on-base percentage, batting average, runs scored, and slugging percentage. Oneil Cruz leads the team in home runs, while Bryan Reynolds leads in RBI. On the pitching side, the Pirates rank highly in Quality Starts and WHIP, with Bailey Falter leading in wins and Paul Skenes in strikeouts and ERA. Despite their defensive prowess, the Pirates are 29-42 this season and will be looking to improve their offensive performance.

Chicago Cubs Analysis

The Chicago Cubs have displayed strong hitting performance, ranking in the top seven in several categories including runs scored, batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. They have shown power at the plate with 239 extra base hits in 70 games. On the pitching side, Chicago ranks 10th in ERA, with notable players like Jameson Taillon leading in wins and Ben Brown in strikeouts. The team has a power ranking of 2, excelling in offense and ranking 11th in defense. In their upcoming game, Colin Rea will take the mound with a solid season record. Despite a recent loss to Pittsburgh, the Cubs maintain a strong overall record of 42-28.

Chicago Cubs Dominate Pittsburgh Pirates in Offense and Pitching Duel

The Chicago Cubs have demonstrated superior performance at the plate compared to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Chicago ranks second in runs scored, fourth in both batting average and slugging percentage, and seventh in on-base percentage. On the other hand, Pittsburgh ranks 24th in on-base percentage, 26th in batting average, 29th in runs scored, and last in slugging percentage. Pittsburgh has recently struggled against Chicago, losing four of the last six matchups. Additionally, the Cubs have emerged victorious in 12 of their last 18 games against NL Central teams. In terms of pitching, Pittsburgh's Mitch Keller has faced challenges in his last three outings, while Chicago's Colin Rea recently rebounded from a subpar performance. Rea holds a 3.92 ERA compared to Keller's 4.15 ERA.

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