The Chicago Cubs (51-58) travel to face off against the Cincinnati Reds (52-55) on Wednesday, July 31st. This game will be played at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati and televised on BSOH. The Reds are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Cubs are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Reds. First pitch is set for 6:10 CT.
Cubs vs. Reds Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Reds (-151)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 9.5 Runs
- The Reds have won 5 of their last 7 home games.
- In the last 15 games, the Reds have scored 6 or more runs in 7 games.
- The Reds have won the last 2 head-to-head games against the Cubs, scoring a total of 13 runs while allowing only 4.
- The Cubs have lost 6 of their last 10 games.
- The Reds have a positive run differential of +15 in their last 15 games.
Cubs vs Reds
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 only three runs in the 6th. Heading into the game, the Reds were at +111 on the money line.
The Reds got to Cubs starter Justin Steele, who gave up five earned runs in just five innings of work and took the loss. As for the Reds, they only used one pitcher in this game, as Tony Santillan went just one inning but didn’t give up a run.
Santiago Espinal was the difference for the Reds’ offense, as he went 4/4 with a home run and two RBIs. Both Tyler Stephenson and TJ Friedl each drove in two for Cincinnati’s lineup.
Chicago’s overall series record this season is 12-18-3, and their run line record is 52-57. The Cubs have a 33-24 run line record on the road, but they are 19-33 against the run line at home. This season, they have gone 39-20 vs. the run line as underdogs.
The Cubs have an overall record of 51-58 and are currently 5th in the NL Central, 11 games behind the Brewers. They have a 4-6 record in their last 10 games and have lost two straight. The over/under line for today’s game is set at 9.5 runs, and the over has gone 5-4 in games with that total this season.
Kyle Hendricks Gets The Start For The Cubs
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 a 6.95 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, Hendricks has a WHIP of 1.49 and has allowed a total of 16 home runs. Per nine innings, he is averaging 6.27 strikeouts and just 2.69 walks. In his last outing, Hendricks gave up six earned runs in five innings of work. Before that, he had a quality start vs. the Cardinals, going seven innings and not allowing a run.
Cubs Offense Breakdown
So far this season, the Cubs offense has been one of the worst in the league, averaging just 4.1 runs per game (26th) and batting a collective .232, which is 18th in the league. They have been a little better on the road, averaging 4.2 runs per game, but at home, they are putting up just 4 runs per contest. As a team, they are also near the bottom of the league in home runs and slugging percentage.
Chicago’s top power hitters are Isaac Paredes and Ian Happ, who are tied for the team lead with 16 homers. Happ’s 60 RBIs are the best mark on the team, and Paredes is 2nd with 55. Nico Hoerner and Seiya Suzuki are also among the Cubs top home run hitters, with 4 and 15, respectively. Suzuki has gone deep twice in his last eight games, while batting .300 over that stretch.
As favorites, the Reds have a 26-23 record and they are 25-27 on the road. Overall, Cincinnati is 52-55 and they have won two straight games, leading the Cubs 2-0 in their current series.
On the run line, the Reds are 32-20 on the road and 25-30 at home, with an average run margin of 3.7 runs per game in their wins. This season, their over/under record is 46-57 and the under has hit in five straight games.
Nick Lodolo Gets The Start For The Reds
Cincinnati is sending left-hander Nick Lodolo to the mound today vs. the Cubs. He has made 16 starts this season and has a record of 8-3 with a 3.45 ERA. Lodolo’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.11, and he has turned in seven quality starts. The last time he pitched, Lodolo finished with a no-decision, going 6 2/3 innings vs. the Rays. In that outing, he gave up two earned runs, five hits, and one homer. Lodolo has not taken a loss since June 30th. He has made four straight starts without taking the loss.
Reds Offense Breakdown
Elly De La Cruz has been swinging a hot bat for the Reds, going 9/25 in his last six games, including one home run. For the season, De La Cruz is batting .262 and is 3rd on the team with 45 RBIs. He also leads the Reds with 18 homers, which is 13th in the league. Spencer Steer and Jeimer Candelario are also near the top of the Reds home run list, but both are batting under .240 for the season.
Overall, the Reds have been a below-average offensive team, as they are just 20th in batting average and are near the bottom of the league in strikeouts. Collectively, they are averaging 4.4 runs per game, which is 14th in the MLB. Currently, Nick Martini is on a three-game hitting streak, while Santiago Espinal has a hit in 10 straight games.
Cubs vs Reds Prediction
Our prediction for today’s Cubs vs. Reds matchup is to take the Reds on the money line at -151. We have the Reds winning this one by a final score of 6-5. If you’re looking for a parlay, you could also look to the over/under line, with the line currently sitting at 9.5 runs.
Looking at today’s starters, we have Nick Lodolo finishing with seven strikeouts, which is the third-best among all starters. As for Kyle Hendricks, we have him finishing with five strikeouts, which is the fourth lowest among all starters.
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:July 31, 2024 Cubs, Reds