Don't look now, but a pivotal matchup under the lights at Oracle Park is set to take place as the Chicago Cubs go to battle with the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night. Check out our MLB odds series, where our Cubs-Giants prediction and pick will take place.
The Cubs enter play as one of the hottest teams in the National League as they are in the midst of a six-game winning streak. Even at 40-57, Chicago has shown resilience and a sense of fight instead of waiting for the season to end. Looking to give the Cubbies a seventh consecutive victory will be southpaw Justin Steele. Thus far, Steele is 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA in 18 regular season starts.
Currently, in the middle of a seven-game losing streak that has pushed them even further away from playoff contention, the pattern of play from the NL West champs from a year ago is disturbing, to say the least. Lefty Alex Wood will get the start to try to break the losing skid, as he is 6-8 with a 4.21 ERA in 19 regular season starts.
Here are the Cubs-Giants MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Cubs-Giants Odds
Chicago Cubs: +1.5 (-170)
San Francisco Giants: -1.5 (+140)
Over: 8 (-115)
Under: 8 (105)
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Why The Cubs Could Cover The Spread
Where did this from? Who is this team and what did they do with the Cubs? Chicago has managed to flip the script and is possibly playing their best ball of the season. Meeting the Giants for the first time this year, the Cubbies have grown used to raising the W flag within the past week and have no plans of changing that for the time being. While hyping up the Cubs might be a tad dramatic considering that they still remain nearly twenty games below .500, give credit where credit is due.
Remarkably, the Cubs have not allowed more than three runs during their winning stretch, which is shocking considering that their pitching numbers for 2022 suggest that they struggle to record outs. With the third-fewest quality starts and a team ERA of 4.41, Chicago all of a sudden finds themselves looking as dominant as they've been from the rubber. Enter Justin Steele, who has gone 3-1 in his last nine starts with an impressive 3.10 ERA. Steele has faced off with the Giants just once when he allowed four runs in five innings during a 6-5 loss last September.
Usually their best attribute, this skilled lineup has more talent than what people think. With the eighth highest on-base percentage and twelfth-best slugging percentage, this Cubs' offensive onslaught can make a team pay if taken lightly.
Why The Giants Could Cover The Spread
Things possible couldn't be more ugly right now for the Giants. Almost as ugly as the naked mole rat, the Giants' terrible play has left their fans reaching for the nearest barf bag to express their disgust. Entering the season riding high off of a division crown that resulted in a heartbreaking end when they came up short against the Dodgers in postseason play, San Francisco has fallen off a cliff. While most of it doesn't make a whole lot of sense, the Giants' issues on the diamond are more than prevalent.
It all starts with a sluggish approach on the mound that has snowballed into a major problem. Yes, the offense hasn't done this pitching staff many favors, but San Francisco has surrendered 44 runs in seven games. This is a far cry from what the Giants have looked like in comparison to earlier in the season when they have been under the 4.00 ERA mark for a majority of their 98 games played. Although this may seem daunting, it's a simple fix. Pounding the strike zone with first-pitch strikes to get ahead of the count and making plays defensively will go a long way in reversing the losing trend that the Giants have placed upon themselves.
With the pitching teetering on inadequate, the bats within this lineup are going to have to come through. They are more than capable, as San Fran possesses the sixth-most runs in baseball and has a fairly productive on-base percentage at .311. Someone on this team will need to step up with a big-time performance to cover the spread tonight, so who is it going to be?
Final Cubs-Giants Prediction & Pick
Emotions are running high in the Windy City with the swirling trade rumors surrounding catcher Willson Contreras and even OF Ian Happ, so best believe that Chicago will be giving it their all on Thursday. On top of that, the Giants simply just suck right now. The Cubbies are the more motivated crew and should give San Fran fits as the visitors.
Final Cubs-Giants Prediction & Pick: Cubs +1.5 (-170)
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