The Philadelphia Phillies (49-43) host the lowly Chicago Cubs (35-57) tonight in the first of a three-game series. The two MLB teams have yet to play each other this season.
Cubs Against Phillies Matchup Preview
Kyle Gibson (5-3, 4.35 ERA) is on the mound for the Phillies, while Justin Steele (3-6, 4.15 ERA) is hoping to kick off a much better second half for the Cubs with a strong performance. It’s the first game back from the All-Star break for both the Cubs vs. Phillies odds.
The Phillies won three games in a row prior to the break and are surging up the MLB odds as a playoff team. They’re now 8.5 games back of the New York Mets for first place in the NL East and are in sole possession of the third wild card spot.
Phillies vs. Cubs Odds
The Philadelphia Phillies, as the home team and the team with the better record, are the obvious betting favorites at -130 on the moneyline. They also have a -1.5 runline at +145, meaning a successful $100 wager for the Phillies to win by at least two runs would result in a $145 profit.
The Cubs are listed at +100 on the moneyline and -165 on the +1.5 runline. The over/under for the game is set at 9.
Phillies vs. Cubs Betting Preview
Chicago is one of the worst teams in the league this season and are 1-9 in their last ten games, so it’s almost a free MLB picks to go with the Phillies in this matchup. The Cubs are also 2-9 against Philadelphia in their last 11 games.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, is trending in the right direction, even from a betting perspective. They’re 8-2 against the spread (ATS) in their last ten games and 5-0 ATS following a win in their last five games. They’ve been mostly winning with timely hitting and good pitching.
MLB Starting Pitchers
Kyle Gibson Analysis
Gibson has had an up-and-down first half of the season but was pitching well prior to the All-Star break. He posted a 5.81 ERA in June through five starts and lasted less than four innings in two of those starts. Through 17 innings in July, Gibson allowed 13 hits and allowed only three walks. He had a 3.71 ERA in those games.
Justin Steele Analysis
A 6-foot-2, left-handed pitcher, Steele has an unimpressive 1.41 WHIP this season but, like Gibson, has been pitching well as of late. He has gone at least five innings in each of his last eight starts. He has only allowed five earned runs in his last three starts.
Phillies vs. Cubs Picks and Predictions
MLB Total Bets
With the over/under set at 9.0, it’s best to look at the performance of the two starting pitchers and recent results suggest a low-scoring affair. Moreover, batters on both sides might struggle a little with their timing at the plate after an extended break.
The Phillies average 4.7 runs per game, which is tied for fourth in the league, but the Cubs are 19th at 4.2. Chicago Cubs isn’t likely to hit many home runs (they’re 20th leaguewide), and the Phillies have largely been winning with good pitching lately, so taking the under here seems like a safe bet.
MLB Moneyline Bets
Given the way the Cubs have played this season, there hasn’t been many games where they have been favored on the moneyline. They’re the underdogs against the Phillies, and deservedly so, even though Steele’s recent performance over the last two months has him among the best NL pitchers for MLB players stats.
Steele might give the Phillies hitters trouble, but the team boasts too many good hitters. Bryce Harper is still on the 10-day IL with a thumb injury, but the Phillies still have Rhys Hoskins (19 home runs and 44 RBI) and off-season signing Kyle Schwarber (29 home runs and 58 RBI).
The Phillies are hoping to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2011 and will accept nothing less than a sweep of the lowly Cubs. They’re definitely trending in the right direction and could be a team to keep an eye on in the competitive NL East.
MLB Pick: Phillies (-130)
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