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The Rangers make the trip to Chicago to face the Cubs! These two teams played very well at the start of the season, and in this series, the Rangers won the first game over the Cubs. It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Rangers-Cubs prediction and pick.
Rangers-Cubs Projected Starters
Tyler Mahle vs. Shota Imanaga
Tyler Mahle (1-0) with a 1.35 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP
Last Start: Allowed zero runs on one hit with two walks and five strikeouts through five innings.
Shota Imanaga (2-0) with a 0.98 ERA and a 0.71 WHIP
Last Start: Allowed one run on four hits with zero walks and four strikeouts through 7.1 innings.
Home Splits: (1-0) 0.79 ERA
Here are the MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Rangers-Cubs Odds
Texas Rangers: +1.5 (-156)
Moneyline: +132
Chicago Cubs: -1.5 (+130)
Moneyline: -156
Over: 8.5 (-110)
Under: 8.5 (-110)
How to Watch Rangers vs. Cubs
Time: 2:20 pm ET/11:20 am PT
TV: Marquee Sports Network/Rangers Sports Network
Article Continues Below
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Why The Rangers Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Rangers were inconsistent last season after winning the World Series two years ago, finishing with a 78-84 record. They have started fast this season, with an 8-3 record. Their hitting took a nosedive last season, while their pitching was also bad most of the year, with both finishing near the bottom of the league.
The offense has not improved much and is off to a slow start. Their pitching has opened the year playing excellently compared to one of the best in the MLB. Still, despite their struggles, sluggers Adolis Garcia, Marcus Semien, Jake Burger, Josh Jung, Wyatt Langford, and Corey Seager lead this offense. Overall, this offense is loaded with talent but needs to play better. Nathan Eovaldi is a great pitcher, but Tyler Mahle and Jacob DeGrom also provide massive backup. The Rangers should be better than last year and are a contender.
The Rangers are starting Mahle on the mound. He has a 1-0 record, a 1.35 ERA, and a 1.35 WHIP. He's allowed one run on three hits with six walks and eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings through two starts. The Rangers also won both games that Mahle has started this season. He's started the season red-hot and gets a big matchup against the Cubs due to Chicago's offense gaining some momentum recently.
The Rangers' offense was massively disappointing last season and has struggled this year. They were 21st in team batting average at .238 and are dead last in team batting average at .184. Langford and Burger led the team in the most crucial batting categories. Langford leads in batting average with .216, in home runs with three, in OBP at .318, and in total hits with eight. Finally, Burger filled the team with four RBIs. This offense has started slowly, despite having talent, but a matchup against Imanaga will make it even harder for the Rangers to get a win in this game.
Why The Cubs Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Cubs had an 83-79 record last season and barely missed the postseason, but this year, they have started the season with an 8-5 record. Behind the plate, this offense has been in the middle of the pack last season and is just outside the top-10 this season. Their pitching was one of the best in the MLB last season, but they are in the middle of the MLB this season. On offense, Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzkui, Dansby Swanson, Ian Happ, Michael Busch, and Matt Shaw have been the biggest standouts for the Cubs, despite how inconsistent they have been. Shota Imanaga is a star pitcher for the Cubs, but Matthew Boyd has also started the season playing well. The Cubs have the pieces for a solid season, but they must combine everything to make it work.
The Cubs are starting Shota Imanaga on the mound, where he has a 2-0 record, a 0.98 ERA, and a 0.71 WHIP. He allowed two runs on seven hits with six walks and 10 strikeouts through 18.1 innings in three starts. Imanaga is the best pitcher on the Cubs' roster and has been great. Imanaga has a significant advantage on this side of the field because the Rangers have not had much go their way behind the plate this season.
The Cubs' offense has been playing better recently. They are 11th in team batting average at .251 after having a .242 average one season ago. Tucker has led the offense in almost every critical batting category. He leads in batting average at .327, home runs with five, RBI with 16, OBP at .453, and total hits with 17. This Chicago offense should show up against Mahle, but it will be a difficult matchup, and the game will be decided as the X-factor.
Final Rangers-Cubs Prediction & Pick
This will be a close game, but I trust the Cubs due to Imanaga. The Cubs also have a better offense. The Cubs win and cover at home in Wrigley.
Final Rangers-Cubs Prediction & Pick: Chicago Cubs -1.5 (+130)
