The Chicago Cubs (17-9) travel to face off against the Boston Red Sox (14-13) on Saturday, April 27th. This game will be played at Fenway Park in Boston and televised on NESN. The Cubs are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Red Sox are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Cubs. First pitch is set for 4:10 ET.
Cubs vs Red Sox
Chicago cruised to a 7-1 win over the Red Sox in the most recent game of this series. The Cubs had a huge 2nd inning, scoring seven of their eight runs. As for the Red Sox, they scored their only run in the 4th. Heading into the game, the Cubs were favored at -110.
Shota Imanaga got the win for the Cubs, going 6 1/3 innings and giving up just one run. Kutter Crawford had a rough outing for the Red Sox, taking the loss after going six innings and giving up three earned runs.
At the plate, the Cubs were led by Michael Busch, who went 3/4 with an RBI. Christopher Morel and Pete Crow-Armstrong each had two hits and drove in two runs. Dansby Swanson also had a two-hit game and scored twice.
Chicago is currently 17-9 overall and have won four straight games, and they opened their series with the Red Sox with a win. This year, they have yet to play a game vs. another NL Central team, and they are 0.5 games behind the Brewers for the division lead.
The Cubs have won two straight series, and their overall series record is 5-2-1, including two straight series wins on the road. At home, the Cubs have been really good this year, going 10-3 compared to 7-6 on the road. As the favorite, the Cubs are 7-2 and 10-7 as the underdog.
The Cubs have been a solid bet on the run line this season, going 19-7 overall. They are 10-3 on the run line on the road and have covered in six straight road games. They have been particularly good as the underdog, going 13-4 on the run line, and have an average run margin of +1.2 runs per game this season.
So far this season, the Cubs have played 26 games with an average combined run total of 8 runs per game. Their over/under record is 12-14, and the average over/under line for their games has been 8 runs. When the over/under line has been set at 8.5 runs, their record is 4-3. In 23.1% of their games, the line has been set higher than 8.5 runs, and in 50.0% of their games, the line has been set lower than 8.5 runs. Their game against the Red Sox today has an over/under line of 8.5 runs.
Ben Brown Gets The Start For The Cubs
Chicago is sending Ben Brown to the mound today, and he has made two starts and six total appearances this season. Brown’s ERA is currently 3.72, and he has a record of 0-0. The right-hander has pitched much better at home, with an ERA of 0.75 compared to 11.3 on the road. Brown’s WHIP for the season is 1.03, and he has one quality start this year. In his most recent outing, he pitched out of the bullpen and went one inning, giving up no runs, one hit, and two walks. Brown finished with a no-decision in that outing.
Cubs Offense Breakdown
So far, the Cubs have been one of the best offensive teams in the league, averaging 5.4 runs per game, which is 5th in the league. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.8 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .250, which is 7th in the league, and are also near the top of the league in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. Chicago has also been good at avoiding strikeouts this season.
Michael Busch and Cody Bellinger have been the team’s top power threats this season, with Busch’s six homers being 5th in the league and Bellinger’s five homers being 6th. Busch is also 9th in the league with 17 RBIs, which is the top mark on the Cubs. Bellinger has been hot of late, going 8/23 in his last six games with three homers.
Boston is hosting the Cubs today with an overall record of 14-13, and they are 3rd in the AL East, three games behind the Orioles for the division lead. The Red Sox have dropped two straight games, and they are 0-3 in divisional games this year. Boston lost the first game of this series vs. the Cubs after taking two of three from the Guardians.
So far, the Red Sox have really struggled at home, going just 3-8. However, they have been good on the road, putting together an 11-5 mark. As the underdog, Boston is 7-9 this year and 7-4 when favored. The Red Sox’ overall series record is 4-3-1.
When the Red Sox are on the road, they have been a good bet on the run line, going 12-4. However, at home, they have struggled, going 3-8. They have been a good bet as an underdog, going 11-5, but have struggled as a favorite, going 4-7. Their average run differential in winning games is +4.2, while it is -3.4 in losing games.
Today’s over/under line of 8.5 runs for the Red Sox-Cubs game is the highest of the season for Boston, which has played just five games with a higher line than 8.5 runs. The Red Sox have gone over in seven of their nine games with an over/under line of 8.5 or higher, and their over/under record for the season is 12-13. The combined run average in their games this season is 8.1 runs per game.
Josh Winckowski Gets The Start For The Red Sox
Josh Winckowski is getting the start for the Red Sox today and has made one start and eight appearances this season. His record for the season is 1-1, and he has an ERA of 4.20. Looking at his WHIP, it is currently 1.80. Winckowski’s ERA at home is 9.28 compared to 0.68 on the road. Per nine innings, he is averaging 10.8 strikeouts and 4.8 walks. The last time he pitched was on April 21st, where he made a start and went 3 1/3 innings, giving up one earned run and one homer. He finished with a no-decision in that outing.
Red Sox Offense Breakdown
Heading into today’s game, the Red Sox offense is averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 15th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road this season, averaging 5.1 runs per game. As a team, they are 2nd in the league in home runs and have the 4th best isolated power mark in the league. Boston’s offense is also one of the worst in terms of striking out, averaging 10 K’s per game.
Connor Wong has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 6/16 in his last five games with two homers. For the season, he is batting .356 with five home runs. Tyler O’Neill is also having a strong season for the Red Sox, as he is 3rd in the league with eight homers and is batting .311. O’Neill is also on a five-game hitting streak.
Cubs vs Red Sox Prediction
With the Cubs on the road, we like them to pick up a win over the Red Sox. The Cubs are predicted to win this one by a score of 6-4, giving us a few different ways to play this one. However, we are going to stick with the Cubs on the money line, where you can get them at -115.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Ben Brown finishing with five strikeouts and Josh Winckowski with four. If you’re looking for a parlay, you could look at the Cubs and then take the over, as the line is sitting at 8.5 runs.
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:April 27, 2024 Cubs, Red Sox