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The Chicago Cubs take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. Our MLB odds series has our Cubs Diamondbacks prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Cubs Diamondbacks.
The Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs are nearing the end of their seven-game duel in the month of September, with playoff positioning hanging in the balance. The Diamondbacks went to Wrigley Field in Chicago a week ago and took three of four from the Cubs. After the Diamondbacks lost a series to the New York Mets in the middle of the week, they bounced back on Friday in Phoenix and beat the Cubs once again. The D-Backs' success against the Cubs has done two things: It has kept Arizona afloat in the race for the third wild card spot in the National League, but it has also prevented the Cubs from taking over the lead for the first wild card spot in the Senior Circuit, which is still held by the Philadelphia Phillies in spite of the fact that they lost a series to the Atlanta Braves this past week.
The Diamondbacks are tied with the Cincinnati Reds for the third and final National League wild card playoff spot. They are half a game ahead of the Miami Marlins and a full game ahead of the San Francisco Giants. Arizona and Cincinnati are both five games over .500, with the Marlins four and the Giants three after their loss to the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. This four-team chase for the last wild card berth seems destined to go down to the wire. We have only two weeks left in the regular season, and no team has been able to play sustained high-level baseball. Every team seems to have a good run followed by a bad one, with nothing continuing for more than a few days.
The Cubs are eight games over .500, which puts them in second place in the wild card race and gives them a cushion against the D-Backs and the other teams fighting for the third and final playoff spot. However, that cushion is not substantial, and if both the D-Backs and Reds (or Marlins, or Giants) go 9-1 in their next 10 games, the Cubs will need to keep winning to get any sort of playoff spot. The Phillies, at 13 over .500, are comfortably in the postseason barring a total collapse. The Cubs very likely need to play above-.500 baseball over the next two weeks to secure a spot, since they haven't been able to create a lot of distance from the Arizona team they face this weekend. If the Cubs get swept in Phoenix, they will be in real jeopardy of missing the playoffs entirely.
Here are the Cubs-Diamondbacks MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Cubs-Diamondbacks Odds
Chicago Cubs: -1.5 (+146)
Arizona Diamondbacks: +1.5 (-178)
Over: 9 (-114)
Under: 9 (-106)
How To Watch Cubs vs. Diamondbacks
TV: Marquee Sports (Cubs) / MLB (Diamondbacks) / MLB Extra Innings
Stream: MLB.tv
Time: 8:10 p.m. ET/5:10 p.m. PT
*Watch Cubs-Diamondbacks LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Cubs Could Cover The Spread
The Diamondbacks will send starter Zach Davies to the mound. He was roughed up by the Colorado Rockies not that long ago. The Cubs should be able to score several runs against him and emerge from their offensive funk, which has persisted over the past week. Chicago has not gotten big hits in big moments over the past several days, except for last Sunday's win over the Diamondbacks in Wrigley Field. This pitching matchup gives the Cubbies a chance to bust loose.
Why The Diamondbacks Could Cover The Spread
The Diamondbacks have worn out the Cubs, going 4-1 in these five September games against Chicago. They are 2-0 in games started by Justin Steele, who could very easily win the National League Cy Young Award. Arizona pitching has stopped Chicago hitting in these September clashes. Moreover, the Cubs just lost a series against the Rockies and are playing really bad baseball right now. The Cubs have been a feast-or-famine team this season, going through red-hot surges or ice-cold droughts. They're in a drought, and it's not easy to trust them.
Final Cubs-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick
The Diamondbacks have owned the Cubs of late, but the Cubs really need this game and have a good pitching matchup. Stay away from this one.
Final Cubs-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick: Cubs -1.5
