The Chicago Cubs (28-28) travel to face off against the Milwaukee Brewers (32-23) on Thursday, May 30th. This game will be played at American Family Field in Milwaukee and televised on BSWI. The Brewers are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Cubs are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Brewers. First pitch is set for 12:10 CT.
Cubs vs Brewers
Despite coming in as the slight underdogs on the road, the Brewers picked up a 10-6 win over the Cubs in the most recent game of this series. Milwaukee’s offense got off to a fast start, scoring two runs in the first and adding five more in the 3rd. On the other side, the Cubs got on the board with one run in the 2nd and added their final two runs in the 9th.
Christian Yelich and Willy Adames each homered for the Brewers, while Blake Perkins scored three times and drove in two runs while going 2/4. Joey Ortiz also had a two-hit game and scored three times for Milwaukee’s offense.
Jared Koenig got the win for the Brewers out of the bullpen, while Shota Imanaga took the loss for the Cubs. Bryse Wilson only went four innings for Milwaukee but gave up just three earned runs.
With an overall record of 28-28, the Cubs are 3rd in the NL Central, 4.5 games behind the Brewers for the division lead. So far, they have gone just 6-9 in divisional matchups. The Cubs are hoping to pick up a win today, as they have dropped four straight series and have an overall series record of 7-8-2 this season.
Chicago has struggled over the last week, going just 3-7 in their last 10 games. This season, they are 15-11 at home compared to 13-17 on the road. As the underdog, the Cubs are 16-17 this season, and they are 12-11 when favored.
When it comes to the run line, the Cubs have been a solid bet this season, going 29-27 overall. They have been especially good on the road, where they are 18-12 against the run line. They have also been a strong bet as the underdog, going 23-10 against the run line in those games. The Cubs have been outscored by an average of 0.1 runs per game this season, but that number jumps to -0.8 on the road.
The Cubs are on the road against the Brewers today, and the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs. The combined run average in their games this season is 8.7 runs, and their over/under record is 24-30. When the line is set at 8.5 runs, their record is 7-4. Overall, 13 of their games have had over/under lines set at 8.5 runs, accounting for 23.2% of their games. Their current over streak is at 2 games.
Jameson Taillon Gets The Start For The Cubs
Jameson Taillon will be looking to build off his last outing, where he finished with a no-decision. Against the Cardinals on May 25th, he went 5 2/3 innings, giving up three earned runs, and taking three. He did pitch well in that outing, finishing with nine strikeouts. Taillon has made two quality starts this year and has a record of 3-2 with a 2.58 ERA. Opponents are batting .244 off the right-hander this season. So far, he has a record of 0-1 on the road with a 3.5 ERA.
Cubs Offense Breakdown
The Cubs offense has been one of the league’s worst units this season, as they are batting just .227 (20th) and are 16th in the league in runs scored. Chicago is averaging 4.3 runs per game, regardless of whether they are at home or on the road. Collectively, they are the league’s 13th ranked home run hitting team, but their slugging percentage and isolated power numbers are both near the bottom of the league.
Christopher Morel has been a bright spot in terms of power for the Cubs, as he is 10th in the league with nine homers and is 13th in the league with 34 RBIs. However, he is batting just .192 for the season. Nico Hoerner and Michael Busch are batting .251 and .245, respectively, and have been the team’s 5th and 6th best hitters this season.
Milwaukee holds a 4.5-game lead over the Cardinals in the NL Central as they are 32-23 overall. The Brewers are 15-8 against other teams in the NL Central. So far, they have gone 14-10 at home compared to an 18-13 mark on the road.
The Brewers have dropped two straight games, and they are 5-5 across their last 10. This season, the Brewers have been the underdog in 29 games, and they are 18-11 in those games. As the favorite, Milwaukee is 14-12 this season, and their overall series record is 9-6-2.
When betting the run line, the Brewers have been a better play on the road, where they are 19-12. They have covered the run line in 21 of 29 games as an underdog. Overall, they have a run line record of 29-26 and have an average run margin of +0.9 runs per game.
When the Milwaukee Brewers play at home, the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs. The combined run average in their games this season is 9.1 runs, and their over/under record is 31-24. When the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs, their record is 16-10. Overall, 40% of their games have had lower over/under lines than 8.5 runs. The over has hit in their last two games.
Colin Rea Gets The Start For The Brewers
Right-hander Colin Rea gets the start for the Brewers today as he faces the Cubs at home. Rea has made nine starts this year and has a record of 4-2 with a 3.98 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, Rea has a WHIP of 1.36 and has turned in three quality starts. Per nine innings, he is averaging 6.13 strikeouts and 3.31 walks. In his most recent outing, Rea picked up the win out of the bullpen, going 5 2/3 innings and giving up two earned runs. Before that, he had lost two straight starts.
Brewers Offense Breakdown
William Contreras and Willy Adames have been the Brewers’ top power threats this season, with Contreras hitting eight homers and Adames at nine. Contreras is also batting .323, and Adames comes in at .255. Adames has been swinging the bat well of late, going 7/19 in his last five games with two homers and five RBIs. Adames also comes into the game on an eight-game hitting streak.
As a team, the Brewers are 4th in scoring at 5 runs per game and are 6th in home runs. They have been especially good at home, averaging 5.3 runs per contest. Overall, the Brewers have the league’s 6th best batting average and have the 3rd best team slugging percentage in the MLB.
Cubs vs Brewers Prediction
Our predicted final score for this Cubs and Brewers matchup is 6-5 in favor of the Brewers. With the Brewers predicted to pick up the win, we recommend taking them on the money line, where the payout is -121.
Looking at the starting pitchers, our projections have Colin Rea finishing with six strikeouts, which is good for seventh among today’s starters. As for Jameson Taillon, he is projected to finish with five K’s, which is fifth worst.
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:May 30, 2024 Brewers, Cubs