Wednesday's matchup between the Pirates and Cubs gets started at 7:40 PM ET from Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL. The Cubs are the heavy favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -192, while the Pirates are at +158. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs.
SN PT will be televising Wednesday's game, and Shota Imanaga will be on the mound for the Cubs. The Pirates are starting Domingo German, and they are looking to extend their two-game winning streak. The Pirates are 5th in the NL Central, while the Cubs are 2nd with a record of 71-68.
Pittsburgh vs. Chicago Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Pirates at Cubs
- Where: Wrigley Field Chicago
- Date: Wednesday, September 4th
- Betting Odds CHC -192 | PIT +158 O/U 8
Pirates vs Cubs Last Game Recap
Pittsburgh cruised to a 5-0 win over the Cubs in the most recent game of this series. The Pirates had a huge 7th inning, scoring three of their five runs. As for the Cubs, they had their best chance to score in the 5th, but left the bases loaded. Heading into the game, the Pirates were favored at -122 on the money line.
Paul Skenes pitched well for the Pirates in this one, going five innings and striking out six without giving up a run. He picked up a win in the game, while Kyle Hendricks took the loss for the Cubs. Hendricks went five innings and gave up two earned runs.
Jared Triolo was the only player in the game to homer, going 1/4 with three RBIs. Nick Gonzales also had a two-hit game for Pittsburgh.
Pirates Preview
When favored, the Pirates have a 28-24 straight-up record, but as underdogs, they are 37-49. Pittsburgh's overall series record is 17-21-5, and they have lost two straight series. The Pirates are 5th in the NL Central, half a game behind the Reds for 4th place.
On the run line, the Pirates have a 43-27 record on the road and are 57-29 as underdogs. Their games have averaged 8.7 runs, resulting in a 67-69 over/under record. For games with an 8-run total, the over is 14-15, and over 50% of their games have had totals higher than 8 runs.
Domingo Germán has made one start and six appearances for the Pirates this season. He has a record of 0-0 and an ERA of 6.11. Germán's WHIP for the season is 1.58. In his 17 2/3 innings of work, Germán has issued 12 walks compared to 11 strikeouts. Germán's lone quality start came on August 21st vs. the Rangers, where he went six innings and didn't allow a run. The right-hander is coming off an outing in which he gave up two earned runs in three innings of work out of the bullpen. He has not taken the loss in any of his outings this season.
So far this season, the Pirates are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 20th in the league. They have been a little better at home, averaging 4.3 runs per game, but that is still only 17th in the MLB. As a team, they are batting just .236 and are near the bottom of the league in home runs and on-base percentage.
Bryan Reynolds has been the Pirates' top offensive player this season, as he is batting .282 with a team-high 22 homers and 77 RBIs. He has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 11/39 in his last 10 games with three homers. Oneil Cruz has also been swinging a hot bat, hitting .333 in his last 10 games.
Cubs Preview
Chicago has been on a roll, winning five straight series and going 7-3 in their last ten games. They are 71-68 overall and 10 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central. The Cubs have struggled against NL Central teams this season, with a 20-28 record.
For run line bettors, the Cubs have been more profitable as underdogs, posting a 46-23 record on the run line. On the road, they are 43-29 vs. the run line, but at home, they are 25-42. The over/under line for Cubs' home games is 8 runs, and their games have averaged 8.7 runs per game this season. The Cubs have a 64-70 over/under record this year.
Shota Imanaga gets the start for the Cubs today and is coming off a strong outing vs. the Nationals. In that start, he went six innings, giving up three earned runs and picking up the win. Looking back over his last three starts, Imanaga has given up just two earned runs in each outing. So far this year, he has made 25 starts, and opponents are batting .229 off the left-hander. Imanaga's ERA for the season is 3.14, along with a record of 11-3. For the year, he has allowed 23 homers and is averaging 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings.
So far this season, the Cubs are averaging 4.5 runs per game, which is 14th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road, averaging 5 runs per game compared to 4 runs per game at home. As a team, the Cubs are batting .240, which is 15th in the league, and are 17th in home runs. Chicago is 8th in on-base percentage and have the 6th fewest strikeouts in the league.
Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ have been the Cubs' top power threats this season, with Suzuki hitting 19 homers and Happ leading the team with 79 RBIs and is 14th in the league with 23 homers. Suzuki comes into the game batting .275, while Happ is batting just .245. Nico Hoerner is batting .257 and has gone deep five times this season.
Pirates vs. Cubs Prediction: Over 8 Runs -107
Our predicted final score for this one is 5-4 in favor of the Cubs, and with the money line payout being -192, we like the over at 8 runs. Our projections have the Cubs' and Pirates' lineups combining for 14 runs, giving us some room for error.
Looking at today's starters, we have Shota Imanaga finishing with six strikeouts, and Domingo Germán with seven. If you're looking for a player prop bet, Imanaga's strikeout line is a good option.
