Cincinnati comes into this NL Central matchup vs. the Cubs looking for their third straight win, as they are 52-55 overall. The Cubs, on the other hand, are 51-58 and they will be starting Kyle Hendricks. The Reds are starting Nick Lodolo, and they are the betting favorite at -151, while the Cubs are at +128.
The over/under line is currently at 9.5 runs, and the forecast for Wednesday's game calls for temperatures in the low to mid 90s with partly cloudy skies. BSOH is carrying this one on TV.
Chicago vs. Cincinnati Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Cubs at Reds
- Where: Great American Ball Park Cincinnati
- Date: Wednesday, July 31st
- Betting Odds CIN -151 | CHC +128 O/U 9.5
Cubs vs Reds Last Game Recap
Cincinnati cruised to a 6-3 win over the Cubs in the most recent game of this series. The Reds had a huge 2nd inning, scoring five of their six runs. As for the Cubs, they scored their three runs in the 6th. Heading into the game, the Reds were the slight underdogs at +111.
Tony Santillan only went one inning for the Reds but didn't give up a run or a hit. Nick Martinez got the win out of the bullpen, and Alexis Díaz got the save. Justin Steele had a rough outing for the Cubs, giving up five earned runs in five innings of work.
Santiago Espinal was the difference for the Reds, as he went 4/4 with a home run and two RBIs. Tyler Stephenson also had a three-hit game and drove in a run. Cody Bellinger did hit a home run for the Cubs, going 2/4.
Cubs Preview
Chicago has struggled against NL Central teams this season, posting a 13-25 record. They are currently 5th in the division, 11 games behind the Brewers. The Cubs have an overall record of 51-58 and have lost two straight games, entering today's matchup with the Reds.
On the run line, the Cubs are 33-24 on the road but just 19-33 at home. As underdogs, they have a 39-20 run line record. This season, Cubs games have averaged 8.3 runs, and the over is 45-55 in their games. The O/U line for today's game is set at 9.5 runs, and the over has a 5-4 record in games with that total line.
Kyle Hendricks gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces the Reds on the road. This year, he has made 14 starts and has a record of 2-9 with an ERA of 6.95. Hendricks' WHIP for the season is currently 1.49. In his last outing, he gave up six earned runs in five innings of work, taking the loss. Before that, he had pitched well, picking up the win and not allowing a run in seven innings of work. Opponents are batting .291 off Hendricks this year, and he has given up a total of 16 home runs.
As a team, the Cubs are averaging just 4.1 runs per game this season, which is 26th in the league. This is also a team that has struggled in the power department, as their 107 home runs is 20th in the league. Collectively, the Cubs are batting just .232, which is 18th in the league.
Heading into today's game, Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ are tied for the team lead in home runs, with 16 apiece. Happ's 60 RBIs are the best on the team, and Suzuki is 3rd with 49 RBIs. Suzuki is also batting .268 for the season, and Happ comes in with a batting average of just .230. Suzuki has been hot of late, going 9/30 in his last eight games.
Reds Preview
With a 52-55 record, the Reds are nine games behind the Brewers in the NL Central. Cincinnati has a 14-14 record against divisional opponents this season and is currently leading the Cubs 2-0 in their series, having won two straight games.
On the run line, the Reds are 57-50 for the season, with a 32-20 record on the road and 25-30 at home. This season, the under has hit in five straight Reds games, and their O/U record is 46-57. The average run total in Reds games is 8.4, and their O/U record when the total is 9.5 runs is 17-9.
Cincinnati is sending Nick Lodolo to the mound today vs. the Cubs, and he comes into the game with a record of 8-3 and ERA of 3.45. Lodolo has made 16 starts this year and finished with a no-decision in each of his last four outings. In his most recent start, he went 6 2/3 innings vs. the Rays, giving up two earned runs, five hits, and one homer. The left-hander has allowed at least one homer in each of his last three outings. Lodolo has a WHIP of 1.11 this year and opponents are batting .213 vs. the lefty.
Elly De La Cruz has been swinging a hot bat of late for the Reds, going 9/25 in his last six games, with one home run and five runs scored. De La Cruz is hitting .262 for the season and leads the team with 18 homers. Spencer Steer and Jeimer Candelario are also near the top of the league in homers for the Reds, but both are batting under .240 for the season.
For the season, the Reds are averaging 4.4 runs per game, which is 14th in the league. However, they are batting just .230 as a team and are near the bottom of the league in strikeouts. As a team, they are 15th in home runs and have an isolated power of .164, which is 8th in the league.
Cubs vs. Reds Prediction: Reds ML -151
Our prediction for today's Cubs vs. Reds game is that the Reds will pick up a 6-5 win at home. Given that the Reds are at -151 on the money line, this is the best route to go if you're looking to place a bet on this game.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Nick Lodolo finishing with seven strikeouts, which is good for third among all starters today. As for Kyle Hendricks, we have him finishing with five K's, which is the fourth lowest among starters.
