Subscribe
Follow Us
MLB action rolls on Friday night as two National League teams with very capable lineups look to improve their spots in the standings. The Chicago Cubs (19-24) will begin a three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies (20-23) as both teams come in riding lengthy losing streaks. Check out our MLB odds series for our Cubs-Phillies prediction and pick.
The Chicago Cubs are currently tied for third in the NL Central and sit five games back of the leading Brewers. They're losers of the last five games and it's led to some frustration from Manager David Ross in the clubhouse. They're 2-8 in their last 10 coming in and have been outscored by 25 runs in that stretch. They're desperate to get back on track against a Phillies team in the same spot. Marcus Stroman (RHP) will be their starter.
The Philadelphia Phillies are fourth in the NL East standings and sit seven games back of the leading Atlanta Braves. The defending NL champs haven't seen the start to the season they wanted, but realize they've got a long road before October. They've lost their last four games coming in and have been a team identified by hot and cold streaks. They'll look to start another streak in the right direction against struggling Chicago. Ranger Suarez (LHP) will be their likely starter.
Here are the Cubs-Phillies MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Cubs-Phillies Odds
Chicago Cubs: +108
Philadelphia Phillies: -126
Over 9: -102
Under 9: -120
How To Watch Cubs vs. Phillies
TV: Marquee Sports Network, Regional Coverage
Stream: MLB.TV
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET/ 4:05 p.m. PT
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Cubs Could Cover The Spread
The Cubs have had a downright bad last 10 games and have been losing close contests that could've easily been won. Their pitching has been a problem all season and they're often giving up lopsided innings while failing to later make up for the damage. The Cubs could certainly use their former left fielder in Kyle Schwarber right about now as he leads the Phillies with 10 home runs. The call-up of Christopher Morel has been going according to plan as he's 13-35 with five home runs over the last 10 games.
After a sold start to the season, Marcus Stroman is now 2-4 with a 3.24 ERA thru 50 IP. He's been good about not giving up too many home run balls, but he's allowed 19 walks thus far and would like to see some more control in his pitches. If Stroman can start steady and get hot as this game goes on, the Cubs could see some run support for a change. However, if he gets shelled early, don't expect the Cubs to make a great run at beating the Phillies at the Bank.
Why The Phillies Could Cover The Spread
The Phillies have been victim to their hot and cold streaks all season. They went 8-2 in a stretch that began exactly a month ago. Following those 10, they lost six consecutive games. Then, the Phillies answered with five consecutive wins. Now, their in the midst of a four-game losing streak but have a great chance to break it against an equally struggling Cubs team. The Phillies are 11-7 at home this year and have seen a huge boost since the return of Bryce Harper to the lineup. It's translated to the rest of the team as the Phillies are fourth in NL batting at .261 AVG.
Ranger Suarez will be making his first start of the season for the Phillies. He's got just four innings of action, to which he's given up 7 hits on 6.75 ERA. It'll be interesting to see how the lefty performs against this Cubs lineup that's been struggling against left-handers. He'll hope that his team can get him some run support while he tries for his first win.
Final Cubs-Phillies Prediction & Pick
Both teams aren't playing very well, but it's clear that the Cubs have been much worse over the last 10 games. They'll be hoping that Marcus Stroman, thought to be one of their aces, can get going against this Phillies team. While the Cubs may have a chance to notch a win or two in this series, their last loss against the Astros really dejected them. Let's take the Phillies at home to win the first game of this series.
Final Cubs-Phillies Prediction & Pick: Philadelphia Phillies (-126)
