It is the start of a weekend series as the Philadelphia Phillies face the Chicago Cubs. It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Phillies-Cubs prediction and pick.
The Phillies come into the game at 13-12 on the year, which places them in second place in the NL East. The Phillies recently visited the New York Mets for a three-game series. They struggled to score in the series, managing just eight runs over the three games, as the Phillies were swept by the New York Mets. Meanwhile, the Cubs are 16-10 on the year, placing them in first in the NL Central. The Cubs just faced the Dodgers in a two-game series. In game one of the series, the Cubs made a comeback to defeat the Dodgers in ten innings. They would then win the second game of the series over the Dodgers as well.
Phillies-Cubs Projected Starters
Taijuan Walker vs. Colin Rea
Taijuan Walker (1-1) with a 2.29 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP.
Last Start: Walker went four innings, giving up one hit and three walks in his last start. He would take the no-decision as the Phillies beat the Marlins 11-10.
Away Splits: Walker is 0-0 on the road with a 0.00 ERA and a .278 opponent batting average.
Colin Rea (0-0) with a 1.32 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP
Last Start: Rea went 4.2 innings, giving up five hits and striking out five. He would give up just one run as the Cubs defeated the Diamondbacks.
Home Splits: Rea is 0-0 at home with a 1.35 ERA and a .192 opponent batting average.
Here are the Phillies-Cubs MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Phillies-Cubs Odds
Philadelphia Phillies: +1.5 (-184)
Moneyline: +110
Chicago Cubs: -1.5 (+152)
Moneyline: -130
Over: 8 (-115)
Under: 8 (-105)
How to Watch Phillies vs. Cubs
Time: 2:20 PM ET/ 11:20 AM PT
TV: NBCSP/MARQ
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why The Phillies Will Cover The Spread/Win
Kyle Schwarber has led the way for the Phillies this year. He is hitting .258 with a .411 OBP. He has a double, a triple, seven home runs, 16 RBIs, and 18 runs scored. Meanwhile, Nick Castellanos has been solid this year. He is hitting .275 with a .337 OBP. Castellanos has six doubles, three home runs, 15 RBIS, and 11 runs scored. Further, Bryce Harper is hitting .250 with a .389 OBP. He has four doubles, five home runs, 14 RBIs, and 17 runs scored this year.
Meanwhile, Trea Turner has hit .247 this year with a .343 OBP. Turner has four doubles, a home run, seven RBIs, and 13 runs scored this year. Finally, Alex Bohm is hitting .230 with a .252 OBP. He has four doubles, a triple, six RBIs, and nine runs scored.
Why The Cubs Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Cubs are led by Kyle Tucker. He is hitting .314 with a .423 OBP. He has eight doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 25 RBIs, seven stolen bases, and 25 runs scored. Meanwhile, Seiya Suzuki is hitting .276 with a .354 OBP. He has three doubles, a triple, six home runs, 20 RBIs, and 14 runs scored. Further, Pete Crow-Armstrong has been solid this year. He is hitting .294 with a .339 OBP. He has nine doubles, a triple, five home runs, 17 RBIs, ten stolen bases, and 21 runs scored.
Scoring is something Ian Happ has done well. Happ had scored 21 times this year. He is also hitting .278 with a .298 OBP. Happ has five doubles, two home runs, 13 RBIs, and a stolen base as well. Finally, Nico Hoerner is hitting .302 this year with a .347 OBP. He has three doubles, a triple, 13 RBIs, and 11 runs scored this year.
Final Phillies-Cubs Prediction & Pick
Taijuan Walker has been solid for the Phillies this year. He had a bad start against the Giants, giving up six runs with four earned in five innings. Still, in his other three starts, he has pitched 14.2 innings, giving up just one run. Still, the current Cubs have hit well against Walker. In 93 career at-bats, they have hit .301 with a .363 OBP. They also have two home runs and 12 RBIs. That includes Justin Turner, who is 5-17 with two doubles, a home run, and four RBIs against Walker.
Meanwhile, Colin Rea has been solid. He has made five appearances and two starts this year. He has given up just one run in each of his two starts this year, while the Cubs have won both games he has started. Further, current members of the Phillies have hit just .194 against Rea. Kyle Schwarber has had some solid experience against Rea, going 3-7 with a home run and four RBIs. Still, Alex Bohm, Bryce Harper, and Trea Turner are a combined two for 26 against Rea. Take the Cubs in this one.
Final Phillies-Cubs Prediction & Pick: Cubs ML (-130)