There appears to be a chance for light rain in Philadelphia on Wednesday, where the Phillies and Cubs will face off at Citizens Bank Park. The game gets started at 6:05 PM ET. MARQ is carrying the Cubs on TV, and they are the underdog on the money line (+160).
Philadelphia is 93-65 and is the heavy favorite on the money line at -192. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs, and Javier Assad will go for the Cubs, while the Phillies are slated to start Cristopher Sanchez. This game is a matchup of 2nd and 1st in the NL Central and NL East, respectively.
Chicago vs. Philadelphia Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Cubs at Phillies
- Where: Citizens Bank Park Philadelphia
- Date: Wednesday, September 25th
- Betting Odds PHI -192 | CHC +160 O/U 8
Cubs vs Phillies Last Game Recap
Chicago cruised to a 10-4 win over the Phillies in the most recent game of this series. The Cubs had a huge 2nd inning, scoring six of their ten runs. As for the Phillies, they scored their final run in the 4th. Heading into the game, the Cubs were favored at -108.
Justin Steele only went four innings for the Cubs but gave up just two hits and two earned runs. He finished the game with three strikeouts but issued five walks. On the other side, Tanner Banks was tagged for three homers and three runs in just 1 1/3 innings of work for the Phillies.
Cody Bellinger, Nico Hoerner, and Seiya Suzuki each had two RBIs for the Cubs' offense. Bellinger, Dansby Swanson, and Pete Crow-Armstrong each had two hits and scored two runs for Chicago.
Cubs Preview
Chicago's overall series record is 22-25-3, and they are currently tied in their series vs. the Phillies. The Cubs have a 42-36 record at home and are 39-41 on the road. They are 43-38 as the favorite and 38-39 as the underdog.
With an 81-77 record, the Cubs are 2nd in the NL Central, 9.5 games behind the Brewers. They are 2 games behind the Cardinals for the second Wild Card spot. Against the run line, the Cubs are 47-33 on the road and 77-81 overall. Their over/under record is 74-78, and games have averaged 8.8 runs this season.
Right-hander Javier Assad gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces the Phillies on the road. He has made 28 starts this season and has a record of 7-5 with a 3.34 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, opponents are batting .243 this season, and he has a WHIP of 1.37. In his 28 starts, Assad has turned in six quality starts and is averaging 7.63 strikeouts per nine innings. Assad's last outing came on September 19th, where he finished with a no-decision, giving up three earned runs in five innings of work. He has not taken a loss since September 7th.
Heading into today's game, the Cubs are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 12th in the league. However, they have been much better on the road, averaging 5.1 runs per game. As a team, the Cubs are batting .243, which is 12th in the league, and are also near the top of the league in walks. Chicago's offense is also 7th in the league in on-base percentage.
Chicago's top power hitter this season has been Ian Happ, as he has 25 home runs, which is the best mark on the team. Happ has also driven in 86 runs, which is also the top mark for the Cubs. Nico Hoerner has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 11/25 in his last seven games. For the season, he is batting .272 and has five homers.
Phillies Preview
Philadelphia has a 93-65 record, putting them 1st in the NL East with a 5.5-game lead over the Mets. They have gone 4-6 in their last ten games and are coming off a loss to the Cubs. The Phillies have a 53-27 home record and are 80-47 as favorites this season.
The Phillies' games have averaged 8.9 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 74-75. The over is 19-18-3 in games with an 8-run total, and 73 of their games have had totals higher than that.
Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez is coming off a strong outing vs. the Mets in which he picked up the win. In that September 20th start, he went 5 innings, giving up 2 earned runs, and had 7 strikeouts. Looking back at his last three outings, Sánchez has finished with a no-decision in two straight starts. He has made 30 appearances this season, 17 of which were quality starts. Sánchez's ERA for the season is 3.25, along with a record of 11-9. For the year, he has allowed 10 homers and is averaging 7.58 strikeouts per nine innings.
As a team, the Phillies are 4th in the league in scoring at 4.8 runs per contest. They have been even better at home, averaging 5 runs per game. Overall, they are one of the best hitting teams in baseball, coming in 4th in team batting average (.258) and 7th in home runs. Philadelphia also does a good job of avoiding strikeouts, as they are the 13th toughest team to strike out in the league.
Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber have been one of the most productive duos in the league this season, with Schwarber's 38 homers leading the team and Harper's 87 RBIs coming in 3rd. Harper is also batting .287 for the season, and Schwarber is at .250. Schwarber has been hot of late, going 9/35 (.257) with three homers in his last eight games, while Nick Castellanos has gone 11/29 in that stretch and is currently on a six-game hitting streak.
Cubs vs. Phillies Prediction: Over 8 Runs -112
Our prediction for the Cubs and Phillies matchup is to take the over, with the line being set at 8 runs. We actually have the final score being 6-5 in favor of the Phillies, giving us some wiggle room if you wanted to take the Phillies on the money line.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Cristopher Sanchez finishing with six strikeouts compared to Javier Assad with five. However, Sanchez is also projected to go longer in the game, and if you're looking to get a little more specific, you could look at a starting pitcher prop bet.
