The Chicago Cubs (65-66) travel to face off against the Pittsburgh Pirates (62-68) on Monday, August 26th. This game will be played at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and televised on SN PT. The Pirates are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Cubs are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Marlins. First pitch is set for 5:40 CT.
Cubs vs. Pirates Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Pirates (-112)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 8.5 Runs
- The Pirates have won 6 of their last 10 games, indicating strong recent form.
- The Pirates have scored an average of 4.5 runs per game in their last 15 games, showing consistent offensive production.
- The Pirates have a home record of 32-33, while the Cubs have an away record of 29-37, suggesting a home-field advantage for the Pirates.
- In their last 5 home games, the Pirates have won 4, demonstrating strong recent performance at home.
- The Pirates have outscored their opponents by a total of 15 runs in their last 5 home games, highlighting their offensive efficiency.
Cubs vs Pirates
The Pirates Took The Last Game Of This Series
Heading into their last game vs. the Marlins, the Cubs closed out the series with a 7-2 loss. This was especially tough, as they were the heavy favorite at -177. Offensively, the Cubs only scored two runs on six hits and didnjson’t hit a home run.
Javier Assad got the start for the Cubs and took the loss. He only lasted seven innings, giving up three earned runs on six hits. The Cubs also issued four walks in the 8th inning, and the Marlins scored four runs to put things out of reach. Ian Happ was hot at the plate, going 3/5 with two doubles, a run scored, and an RBI.
Chicago has a 65-66 overall record and is 10.5 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central. They have a 29-37 record on the road and are 38-28 against the run line on the road. The Cubs have a 44-22 run line record as underdogs and 19-46 as favorites.
This season, the Cubs’ games have averaged 8.4 runs, and their over/under record is 58-68. When the O/U line is 8.5 runs, they have a 16-13 record. Chicago has won three straight series, including taking two of three from the Marlins in their most recent series.
Jameson Taillon Gets The Start For The Cubs
Right-hander Jameson Taillon gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces his former team, the Pirates. Taillon’s most recent outing came on August 21st, where he took the loss, giving up four earned runs in five innings of work. He has lost each of his last two starts and has given up at least two homers in three of his last four outings. Taillon’s record for the season is 8-8, and his ERA is 3.77. Out of his 22 starts, he has 11 quality starts and is averaging 7.18 strikeouts per nine innings.
Cubs Offense Breakdown
Seiya Suzuki and Isaac Paredes are both tied for 2nd on the Cubs with 18 home runs this season. Suzuki is batting .268 for the season, while Paredes comes in with a batting average of just .227. However, Paredes has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 8/20 in his last five games. Ian Happ is the Cubs’ top power threat, as his 23 homers are the best on the team and 12th in the league.
Over his last four games, Miguel Amaya has gone 8/13 with two homers and seven RBIs. Pete Crow-Armstrong has also hit two homers in his last five games, going 6/17 over that stretch. Seiya Suzuki has also hit two homers in his last five games, going 8/20.
The Pirates Are Coming Off A Win
Heading into their last game vs. the Reds, the Pirates closed out the series with a 4-3 win. Leading up to the game, they were the slight favorite at -108 on the money line. It was a big 1st inning for the Pirates, as they got on the board with a run and added three more in the 3rd.
Luis Ortiz put together a good start for the Pirates, going six innings and not giving up a run. He also issued just one walk and struck out five. The Pirates’s offense was carried by Yasmani Grandal, who went 1/4 with a homer and two RBIs.
As underdogs, the Pirates are 35-46 straight up this season and 55-26 on the run line. Their overall series record is 18-18-5, and they are 6-4 in their last 10 games. Pittsburgh is 32-33 at home and 30-35 on the road, heading into today’s game with a 62-68 record.
When the total is set at 8.5 runs, Pittsburgh’s games have gone over 26 times and under 20 times this season. The Pirates’ games have averaged 8.5 runs per game, with only 16.2% of their games having higher totals than today’s line of 8.5 runs.
Mitch Keller Gets The Start For The Pirates
Mitch Keller will be looking to build off his last outing, where he didn’t give up a run. In that start vs. the Rangers, he went seven innings and picked up the win. Looking at his overall numbers, Keller has made 25 starts and has a record of 11-7. His ERA for the season is 3.76, along with a WHIP of 1.21. Keller has turned in 13 quality starts this year, and his ERA at home is 2.83 compared to 5.36 on the road. For the season, he has allowed 17 homers and is averaging 8.13 strikeouts per nine innings.
Pirates Offense Breakdown
Heading into today’s game, the Pirates are 23rd in the majors in runs scored, averaging 4.1 runs per game. This is also where they rank in home runs, and their team batting average of .234 is also near the bottom of the league. One thing they have done well is avoid strikeouts, as their 9 strikeouts per game is the 24th in the league. As a team, they have been swinging the bats well of late, with Yasmani Grandal and Andrew McCutchen both on six-game hitting streaks.
Bryan Reynolds and Bryan De La Cruz have been the Pirates’ top power threats this season, with Reynolds leading the way with 19 homers and De La Cruz right behind him at 18. Reynolds also leads the team with 71 RBIs, while De La Cruz is 3rd on the team with 60 RBIs. Reynolds is batting .279 for the season, and De La Cruz comes in at .242.
Cubs vs Pirates Prediction
Our prediction for today’s Cubs vs. Pirates game is to take the Pirates on the money line, with the payout currently sitting at -112. We have the Pirates winning this one by a final score of 6-5.
Looking at today’s starting pitchers, our projections have Mitch Keller finishing with six strikeouts, which would have him as the fourth-best starter in terms of strikeouts today. As for Jameson Taillon, we have him finishing with five K’s, which would have him as the 13th best.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:August 26, 2024 Cubs, Pirates