After an extra-innings thriller, the Chicago Cubs will look to come out on top yet again as they continue their road trip in the desert against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Join us for our MLB odds series where our Cubs-Diamondbacks prediction and pick will be revealed.
Trailing 2-1 entering the top of the ninth inning, it was Chicago that clutched up in epic fashion. By the end of the final frame, the Cubbies tied the game up and shortly after took the lead in the tenth inning thanks to a go-ahead single by second-baseman Nico Hoerner. With the gritty come-from-behind victory, Chicago improved their overall record to 10-6 and now have won three straight games for the first time this season. On paper, starting lefty Jordan Wicks is projected to get the baseball for the matinee showdown against the Snakes. Wicks will be seeking his first win from the mound this season as he is 0-2 with a 5.68 ERA.
It's been a bit of a rocky start for the reigning National League champs, but there is plenty of time for Arizona to start piling on the victories. Without a doubt, the loss to the Cubs in front of the home fans was a tough pill to swallow, but they will have a phenomenal opportunity to exact their revenge on Wednesday afternoon. On the rubber is scheduled to be Brandon Pfaadt who has given up a combined 11 runs in his last two starts but has yet to record a loss on the young season.
Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Cubs-Diamondbacks Odds
Chicago Cubs: -1.5 (+162)
Moneyline: +102
Arizona Diamondbacks: +1.5 (-200)
Moneyline: -120
Over: 7.5 (-120)
Under: 7.5 (-102)
How to Watch Cubs vs. Diamondbacks
Time: 3:40 ET/12:40 PT
TV: MLB.TV
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Cubs Will Cover The Spread/Win
Overall, the Cubbies are playing phenomenal team baseball in all aspects of the game, but it also helps to have the hottest hitter in all of the majors residing within your lineup. Indeed, first-baseman Michael Busch has found himself in the middle of one the hottest hitting streaks of his life. Believe it or not, but Mr. Busch has homered in five straight games. Altogether, Busch leads the club in not only home runs but in average as well. Through 16 games, Chicago's first-baseman is raking .327 which also is the top mark among the team's qualified hitters. Until he proves otherwise, Busch is a certified nightmare for opposing pitching until he finally cools down.
There's no denying that Busch is seeing a beach ball at the plate right now, but the Cubs also need some other names to step up in the absence of Seiya Suzuki who was recently placed on the 10-Day IL due to a right oblique strain. Before being sidelined, Suzuki was raking a healthy .305 and was one of Chicago's premier hitters. His loss will be one that is felt throughout the lineup, but if others contribute to a greater degree, then they'll be alright.
Pitching-wise, Jordan Wicks is struggling to find his form, but he is more than due for a bounce-back performance. Going up against an up-and-down D-Backs offense, it could finally be his time to shine.
Why The Diamondbacks Will Cover The Spread/Win
It wasn't long ago when Arizona was extremely dominant on their way to capturing their first NL Pennant since their World Series-winning squad all the way back in 2001. Because of last year's magical run, the Diamondbacks' expectations were sky-high entering the 2024 regular season. Currently, Arizona is hovering around the .500 mark at 8-9, but the pieces are there for the D-Backs to be contenders yet again for the second consecutive season.
At first glance, Arizona actually holds a couple of advantages on paper statistically speaking. To begin, the D-Backs are hitting .251 compared to Chicago's team average of .239. Furthermore, the Diamondbacks also wreak havoc on the base paths by swiping every single bag in sight. Impressively enough, Arizona has already stolen 11 bases which is a whopping nine more than the Cubs have under their belts thus far. On the other side of things, the Cubs aren't as aggressive as the Diamondbacks are with runners on-base and this could wholeheartedly fall in the favor of the Snakes.
Last and not least, the pitching prowess of Arizona has been slightly more productive than Chicago as well. While the sample size is small, their stellar 3.68 ERA as a whole is something to keep in mind for bettors deciding whether or not to place some cold hard cash on this matchup. All in all, the D-Backs bullpen has been shaky to say the least, but Pfaadt may be more than due for a stellar outing similar to his opposition in Jordan Wicks.
Final Cubs-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick
Clearly, both teams are showing promise to be NL contenders, but only one side will remain victorious in this one. Side with D-Backs to give their fans something to cheer about in this matinee showdown.
Click here for more betting news and predictions
Final Cubs-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick: Diamondbacks +1.5 (-200)
Follow Us
Subscribe