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The Pittsburgh Pirates will continue their four-game series with the Chicago Cubs on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. We're here to share our MLB odds series, make a Pirates-Cubs prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.
The Pirates took the first game of this series on Thursday and are shooting for more. Unfortunately, they were 6-8 through 14 games heading into Friday's action. The Pirates are searching for more consistency. Additionally, they would like to avenge the series loss they suffered last weekend against the Cubs.
The Cubs have been stumbling lately. After starting strong, they have fallen into second place. The Cubs were 7-8 through 15 games heading into Friday's action. Now, they hope to take down the Pirates to keep pace with the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Cubs won the season series 10-3 in 2023. Last weekend, the Cubs took two of three games from the Pirates at PNC Park. The Cubs hope to continue the dominance this weekend. Ultimately, they will trot a pitcher who has not lost yet.
Bailey Falter starts for the Pirates. He is 2-2 with a 5.14 ERA. Recently, he tossed six innings while allowing two earned runs on five hits in a no-decision last weekend against the Cubs. Falter is 0-3 with a 10.67 ERA over six games against the Cubs.
Japanese rookie Shota Imanaga starts for the Cubs. He is 5-0 with a 0.96 ERA. Amazingly, he had another solid game, as he tossed five shutout innings while allowing seven hits and striking out eight in a no-decision against the Pirates.
Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Pirates-Cubs Odds
Pittsburgh Pirates: +1.5 (-146)
Moneyline: +152
Chicago Cubs: -1.5 (+122)
Moneyline: -178
Over: 8 (-110)
Under: 8 (-110)
How to Watch Pirates vs. Cubs
Time: 2:20 PM ET/11:20 AM PT
TV: Marquee TV
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Pirates Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Pirates are a poor-hitting team. Unfortunately, they are 27th in batting average and 25th in on-base percentage. The Bucs are also 23rd in runs, 18th in home runs, and 26th in slugging percentage. Therefore, they need their hitters to find a way to get runs across the plate.
Connor Joe is one of the top hitters in this lineup. Currently, he is batting .285 with six home runs, 22 RBIs, and 24 runs. Bryan Reynolds continues to produce on and off. Ultimately, he is hitting .250 with five home runs, 20 RBIs, and 16 runs. Oneil Cruz has shown some inconsistency at the plate. Substantially, he is hitting .259 with seven home runs, 18 RBIs, and 18 runs.
The Pirates are hot and cold on the mound. Overall, they are 16th in team ERA. But the bullpen has been worse. Ultimately, they ranked 21st in bullpen ERA.
The Pirates will cover the spread if they can find a way to solve Imanaga and pressure him. Then, Falter must avoid faltering with bad pitches down the heart of the plate.
Why The Cubs Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Cubs are mediocre at hitting the baseball. So far, they are 17th in batting average and 10th in on-base percentage. But the Cubs are also ninth in runs, 11th in home runs, and 14th in slugging percentage. Overall, they are finding ways to eek runs across the plate.
The Cubs already had a lineup that was inconsistent. Yet, it got worse when Dansby Swanson suffered an injury. Nico Hoenrer is dealing with hamstring issues. Therefore, others in this lineup must step up.
Cody Bellinger comes to mind. So far, he is batting .262 with seven home runs, 22 RBIs, and 13 runs. Christopher Morel is another solid part of this lineup. Currently, he is hitting .208 with nine home runs, 29 RBIs, and 22 runs, highlighting a major need for him to improve. Michael Busch is also not hitting consistently. So far, he is batting .254 with seven home runs, 20 RBIs, and 24 runs.
The Cubs are average on the mound, ranking 11th in team ERA. The bullpen has struggled overall, ranking 24th in team ERA. Therefore, they must find ways to hit the strike zone.
The Cubs will cover the spread if their lineup can produce runs and avoid leaving runners stranded. Then, they need another rock-solid performance from Imanaga.
Final Pirates-Cubs Prediction & Pick
The Pirates covered the spread in two of three games last weekend at home. Then, they covered the spread on Thursday at Wrigley. But the Cubs covered the spread in four of six games last season at Wrigley Field. Additionally, they have a pitcher who has not lost going head-to-head against a pitcher who has never defeated the Cubs. Because of all those factors, expect the Cubs to have a productive day at the plate and for the pitching and defense to help them dominate. The Cubs cover the spread.
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Final Pirates-Cubs Prediction & Pick: Chicago Cubs -1.5 (+122)
