Chicago and Cincinnati are set to face off in an NL Central matchup at 1:40 PM ET from Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH. The Reds are favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at +107, while the Cubs are at -126. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs.
Chicago comes in with a record of 31-34 and will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak. The Reds are 32-33 overall and have won seven straight. Shota Imanaga is starting for the Cubs, while the Reds are sending Frankie Montas to the mound.
Chicago vs. Cincinnati Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Cubs at Reds
- Where: Great American Ball Park Cincinnati
- Date: Sunday, June 9th
- Betting Odds CHC -126 | CIN +107 O/U 8.5
Cubs vs Reds Last Game Recap
Cincinnati picked up a 4-3 win over the Cubs in the most recent game of this series. The Reds had a two-run 3rd inning and scored the game's go-ahead run in the 5th. As for the Cubs, they scored one run in the 1st and added their final two runs in the 8th.
Andrew Abbott started for the Reds and picked up the win, going five innings and giving up just one run. He finished the game with five strikeouts but issued four walks. As for the Cubs, Ben Brown got the start and took the loss, giving up three earned runs in four innings of work.
TJ Friedl and Jeimer Candelario each homered for the Reds, while Dansby Swanson went 3/4 with an RBI for the Cubs. David Bote also had a three-hit game for Chicago.
Cubs Preview
Chicago has struggled recently, losing three straight games and going 3-7 in their last 10. They are 7.5 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central, with an overall record of 31-34. Against the NL Central, the Cubs are 7-15 so far this season.
When it comes to the run line, the Cubs have a 20-14 record on the road and are 25-12 as underdogs. Their overall run line record is 32-33. The over/under record in Cubs games this season is 30-32, and the under has hit in their last two games. Today's O/U line of 8.5 runs is lower than usual, as 52.3% of their games have had lower totals, and their average combined runs per game is 8.9.
Left-hander Shota Imanaga gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces the Reds on the road. He has made 11 starts this year and has a record of 5-1 with an ERA of 1.88. Imanaga's WHIP for the season is currently 1.04. In his 11 starts, he has turned in six quality starts and is averaging 9.39 strikeouts per nine innings. Imanaga most recently pitched on June 4th, where he finished with a no-decision, giving up one earned run in 4 1/3 innings of work. He has not taken a loss since May 29th.
Christopher Morel has been one of the league's top power threats so far this season, as his 12 homers are 10th in the league and the most on the Cubs. However, his batting average is just .202. Over his last nine games, he has gone 8/30 (.267) with three homers. Cody Bellinger and Michael Busch are also near the top of the league in homers, as they both have eight this season.
For the season, the Cubs are batting just .227, which is 18th in the league. As a team, they are 17th in scoring (4.3 runs per game) and have been a little better at home, averaging 4.4 runs per contest. Overall, they are just 14th in home runs and have a collective OPS of .681.
Reds Preview
Cincinnati has been on a roll, winning seven straight games and taking the first three games of this series vs. the Cubs. They are 6.5 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central and have an 8-2 record in their last 10 games. The Reds' games have averaged 8.5 runs, resulting in an over/under record of 30-32 for the season.
When the Reds win, they do so convincingly, with an average run margin of 3.7 runs per game. Their run line record is 35-30, including a 21-10 mark on the road. However, they have struggled at home against the run line, going 14-20. Today's over/under line of 8.5 runs is lower than their season average of 9 runs per game.
Frankie Montas gets the start for the Reds today and will be looking to build off his last outing, where he didn't give up a run. In that outing vs. the Rockies, Montas went seven innings, picking up the win and not giving up a homer. Looking back further, he has given up at least one homer in three of his last four outings. Montas' ERA for the season is 4.00, along with a record of 3-4. Out of his 11 starts, he has four quality starts and is averaging 7 strikeouts per nine innings. For the year, Montas has allowed seven homers and is averaging 3.33 walks per nine innings at home.
Elly De La Cruz and Jeimer Candelario have been swinging the bat well of late, with both players going 6/21 in their last five games, with two home runs apiece. For the season, both players are batting just .238. De La Cruz is 1st on the team with 11 homers, while Candelario is 2nd with nine home runs.
As a team, the Reds are averaging 4.4 runs per game, which is 13th in the league. They are also one of the better home run hitting teams in the league, but are batting just .228 as a team. Cincinnati's team on-base percentage is just 12th in the league, and they are also near the bottom of the league in terms of team slugging percentage.
Cubs vs. Reds Prediction: Cubs ML -126
With the Cubs being on the road, we recommend taking them on the money line, where the payout is -126. We actually have the Cubs winning this one by a score of 5-4, and with the payout on the money line, we feel this is the best way to go.
Looking at today's starters, we have Frankie Montas finishing with six strikeouts compared to Shota Imanaga with six. However, Montas is projected to go deeper into the game, and if you're looking for a strikeout prop, Montas could be a good option.
