The Pittsburgh Pirates are at the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday in Major League Baseball. The Pittsburgh Pirates come into the game in the role of the spoiler.
The Pirates are 70-80 on the season and fourth place in the National League Central. Pittsburgh is coming off a win on Sunday over the Yankees.
For the Chicago Cubs, they are 78-72 on the season and second place in the division. Chicago is six games back of the Milwaukee Brewers in the divisional race but tied for the third and final National League Wildcard spot. Let’s take a look at our Pirates vs Cubs best bets.
Pirates vs. Cubs Information
Before our Pirates vs Cubs best bets, here is some information on one of the MLB games today:
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs
Location of the game: Wrigley Field. Chicago, IL.
Date & Time: Tuesday, September 19. 6:40 pm CST.
How to watch: Marquee Sports Network, Chicago.
Recent Scores
Pittsburgh Pirates
- Wednesday, September 13th, 2023: 7-6 win vs. National
- Thursday, September 14th, 2023: 2-0 win vs. Nationals
- Friday, September 15th, 2023: 7-5 loss vs. Yankees
- Saturday, September 16th, 2023: 6-3 loss vs. Yankees
- Sunday, September 17th, 2023: 3-2 win vs. Yankees
Chicago Cubs
- Tuesday, September 12th, 2023: 6-4 loss at the Rockies
- Wednesday, September 13th, 2023: 7-3 loss at the Rockies
- Friday, September 15th, 2023: 6-4 loss at Diamondbacks
- Saturday, September 16th, 2023: 7-6 loss at Diamondbacks
- Sunday, September 17th, 2023: 6-2 loss at Diamondbacks
Pirates vs. Cubs Analysis
The Pittsburgh Pirates are determined to conclude the 2023 season on a high note, even though their postseason aspirations have been out of reach. Despite this, there have been notable bright spots throughout the season. Currently, the Pirates hold a 3.5-game lead over St. Louis in the race to avoid finishing at the bottom of the standings.
Their recent 3-2 victory against the Yankees was a welcome triumph that prevented a potential three-game sweep at home. In fact, Pittsburgh managed to secure four wins out of seven during their recent homestand.
Bryan Reynolds has been a consistent performer for the Pirates this season, leading the team with a .272 batting average and standing just 23 runs batted in away from the coveted 100 mark for the season. Jack Suwinsky has been the driving force in the home run department, tallying an impressive 25 homers. Sadly, his MLB MVP odds are slim.
On the pitching front, Mitch Keller has taken on the role of the team’s ace, as exemplified by his recent outstanding performance where he pitched eight innings and allowed only two hits in a 2-0 victory over Washington.
As of the time of this report, the Pittsburgh Pirates had yet to announce their starting pitcher for the upcoming Tuesday game, keeping fans and opponents alike in suspense.
Chicago Cubs Need a Major Offensive Turnaround
During the Chicago Cubs’ recent five-game losing streak, their offensive struggles have been evident, averaging less than four runs per game. What’s even more concerning is their performance in the last eight losses, where they’ve mustered a mere 23 runs in total.
To secure a postseason berth, the Cubs must significantly improve their offensive output in the crucial stretch ahead. As it stands, Chicago ranks 7th in the league with 749 runs scored and 11th in team batting average at .254.
Cody Bellinger has emerged as a vital asset for Chicago this season, boasting a remarkable .311 batting average, along with 25 home runs and 91 runs batted in. The weekend’s most agonizing loss occurred in a marathon 13-inning battle, where the Cubs held multiple leads but failed to preserve any of them, ultimately succumbing to Gabriel Moreno’s game-winning single in the 13th inning.
Taking the mound for the Cubs in this matchup is Javier Assad, a 26-year-old pitcher making his 10th start of the season. So far, in 2023, Assad has logged 95.2 innings, allowing 82 hits while striking out 71 batters. His most recent outing was on September 12th, where he yielded five hits and four runs over 3.1 innings against the Rockies.
Odds Breakdown
Look at the Pittsburgh Pirates odds, despite not naming a starting pitching. This makes Chicago Cubs predictions difficult, knowing they don’t know who to get ready for:
- Moneyline: Chicago Cubs -164, Pittsburgh Pirates +138
- Runline: Chicago Cubs -1.5 (+125), Pittsburgh Pirates +1.5 (-152)
- Total: 9
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs Betting Pick and Prediction
This is Cubs. All Cubs. Nothing but Cubs. They are back home. Taking advantage of being the better team.
- Take the Cubs -1.5 (+125).
That’s our Pirates vs Cubs best bets!
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