The Philadelphia Phillies will look to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs as the teams meet at Wrigley Field on Thursday. It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Phillies-Cubs prediction and pick.
The Cubs defeated the Phillies 4-2 on Wednesday and now have a chance to complete a season sweep. It was a 1-1 game when Christopher Morel approached the plate in the fifth inning with two runners on. Next, Morel hammered a shot to deep left field for a three-run bomb. It was his second consecutive night with a home run and 16th of the season.
The Phillies had their chances but struggled to generate anything, leaving 12 runners on the basepaths. Subsequently, Bryce Harper went 0 for 4 with two RBIs, both coming off fielder's choices. Kyle Schwarber went 1 for 4 with two runs, and Rhys Hoskins went 0 for 3. However, the Cubs had more success, with Nico Hoerner going 1 for 4 with a run and Patrick Wisdom going 1 for 3. The Phillies are 0-5 against the Cubs despite being a playoff contender and the Cubs being one of the worst teams in baseball. Additionally, the Phillies are 3-9 over 12 games and have lost four in a row. Now the Phillies lead the Milwaukee Brewers by a half-game for the final wildcard spot in the National League.
Ranger Suarez hopes to end the Phillies' woes today to deliver a good start. So far, he has been great in September, going 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA over four starts. Suarez tossed six shutout innings in his last start, allowing five scattered hits and striking out four. However, he is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA over three games (and one start) against Chicago in his career. He has not faced the Cubs in 2022.
Javier Assad takes the hill for the Cubs. He is having a bad month, going 1-2 with a 6.38 ERA over four starts. Assad struggled in his previous outing, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits through four innings. Significantly. he has never faced the Phillies.
Here are the Phillies-Cubs MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Phillies-Cubs Odds
Philadelphia Phillies: -1.5 (-115)
Chicago Cubs: +1.5 (-104)
Over: 8 (-104)
Under: 8 (-118)
Why The Phillies Could Cover The Spread
The Phillies have gone cold over the four-game losing streak, averaging 3.25 runs per game. Now, they look to snap out of the skid and generate some run support for Suarez. Harper is batting .289 with 18 home runs, 64 RBIs, and 62 runs over 92 games. Alternatively, he is hitting .175 with three home runs, 12 RBIs, and 10 runs over 22 games this month. Hoskins is batting .253 with 29 home runs, 76 RBIs, and 80 runs in 2022. However, he is hitting .266 with three home runs, 10 RBIs, and 10 runs in September. Schwarber is batting .213 with 42 home runs, 87 RBIs, and 95 runs for the year. Ultimately, he is hitting .207 with six home runs, nine RBIs, and 14 runs this month.
The Phillies will cover the spread if Suarez continues his hot month and has a great outing. Ultimately, he needs run support, and Harper, Hoskins, and Schwarber must lead the way.
Why The Cubs Could Cover The Spread
The Cubs are a terrible team. However, they have the Phillies' number and have owned them constantly this season. The future is bright in Chicago with emerging hitters. Now, they must keep producing and get ready for the next season.
Hoerner is batting .287 with nine home runs, 49 RBIs, and 52 runs. Amazingly, he is hitting .279 with one home run, two RBIs, and nine runs through 12 games this month. Wisdom has a mark of .209 with 25 home runs, 65 RBIs, and 65 runs through 129 games. However, he has struggled in September, batting .132 with three home runs, seven RBIs, and five runs through 12 games this month.
Chicago's pitching staff has done its job in this series. Moreover, they have not allowed Harper to hurt them. Both his RBIs came on ground-outs and could have been much worse. Instead, Chicago has managed to avoid disaster and prevent Philadelphia from generating a lot of runs.
The Cubs will cover the spread if they get a good outing of their starting pitching and take down the dangerous hitters in the Phillies lineup. Additionally, they must produce runs of their own.
Final Phillies-Cubs Prediction & Pick
The Phillies realize time is running out. Moreover, there are eight games left to play, and they must capitalize on what should be a weaker opponent. Suarez gives them a great chance to win, and he may be the key to ending the losing streak. Moreover, his abilities can give the lineup the confidence they need to generate runs for him. Expect the Phillies to come out firing and cover the spread to snap their spell.
Final Phillies-Cubs Prediction & Pick: Philadelphia Phillies: -1.5 (-115)
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