The Chicago Cubs (22-16) travel to face off against the Pittsburgh Pirates (17-21) on Friday, May 10th. This game will be played at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and televised on SN PT. Both the Cubs and Pirates are looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. First pitch is set for 6:40 ET.
Cubs vs Pirates
Chicago closed out their series vs. the Padres with a 3-0 loss. Heading into the game, the Cubs were the slight favorite at +116 on the money line. Things started off well for the Cubs, as Hayden Wesneski got the start and pitched six innings of scoreless baseball. However, the Cubs couldn’t close things out, and the Padres scored three runs in the 5th to pick up the win. Chicago’s offense scored their only run in the 2nd inning.
Hayden Wesneski took the loss but pitched well for the Cubs, going six innings and giving up just three hits. He did run into trouble in the 5th inning, giving up three runs. The Cubs also wasted a good performance from Wesneski, as they couldn’t score a run after the 2nd inning.
Chicago is on the road today, facing the Pirates with an overall record of 22-16, which has them 2nd in the NL Central, a half-game behind the Brewers. So far, they are 2-1 in divisional games. The Cubs lost the final two games of their series vs. the Padres after taking the opener.
At home, the Cubs have gone 13-6 this year, and they are just under .500 at 9-10 on the road. Chicago has been good as the favorite this year, going 10-5, and they are 12-11 as the underdog. So far, they have an overall series record of 6-4-2.
Chicago has been a solid run line bet so far this season, with a record of 23-15. They have been especially good on the road, going 13-6 against the run line. They have been a profitable bet as an underdog, going 17-6 against the run line. The Cubs have an average run margin of +0.3 runs per game this season.
Chicago’s over/under record for the season is 16-21, and the average over/under line for their games is 8 runs. When the line is set at 7.5 runs, their record is 5-5. The Cubs have played 23 games with over/under lines set higher than 7.5 runs, which accounts for 60.5% of their games. Their combined run average for the season is 8.8 runs, but their last two games have gone under the total.
Javier Assad Gets The Start For The Cubs
Right-hander Javier Assad gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces the Pirates on the road. He has made seven starts this year and has a record of 3-0 with an ERA of 1.66. So far, Assad has made two quality starts and is coming off a game in which he didn’t allow a run. In that outing vs. the Brewers, he went six innings, giving up just four hits and three walks. Looking at his overall numbers, opponents are batting .203 off Assad this year. Per nine innings, he is averaging 7.34 strikeouts and 2.84 walks.
Cubs Offense Breakdown
Chicago’s offense has been solid this season, averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 13th in the league. At home, they have been even better, averaging 4.9 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .233, which is 14th in the league, and have the 8th most home runs in the league. One area they have struggled is in terms of strikeouts, as they are 19th in the league in this category.
Christopher Morel has been the Cubs’ top power threat this season, as his eight homers are 5th best in the league. However, he is batting just .211 for the season. Over his last seven games, Morel has gone 5/22 (.227) with four homers. Michael Busch is also near the top of the league in homers, as his seven long balls are 6th best in the league. Busch is batting .256 for the season and went 7/27 in his last seven games.
The Pirates will be looking to get back on track after closing out their series vs. the Angels with a 5-4 loss. This was especially tough, as they held a lead going into the 9th inning before the Angels scored three runs in the top of the 9th. Pittsburgh was the -136 favorite at home going into the game.
Martin Perez was on the mound for the Pirates, taking the loss. He only lasted five innings, giving up four earned runs on eight hits. The Pirates also wasted a big game from Oneil Cruz, who went 2/4 with three RBIs.
Pittsburgh is 17-21 overall and trail the Brewers by 5.5 games in the NL Central. The Pirates have lost two straight games, and they went 1-2 in their series vs. the Angels. So far, they are 2-2 in divisional games.
At home, the Pirates are 8-10 this season and 9-11 on the road. As the favorite, the Pirates are just 6-11 this season and 11-10 as the underdog. Pittsburgh has dropped two straight games as the favorite.
When the Pirates are the underdog, they have been a good bet to cover the run line, going 14-7. They have also been a good bet on the road, going 11-9. However, when they are the favorite, they have been a poor bet, going just 5-12. Their average run differential in losses is -3.2 runs per game, compared to +2.7 runs per game in wins.
With an over/under line of 7.5 runs, the Pittsburgh Pirates have seen the under hit in seven of their nine games with that line this season. Their games have averaged 7.6 runs per game, and their over/under record for the season is 16-22. They are coming off back-to-back overs, with their last game against the Angels going over the total by 1.5 runs.
Jared Jones Gets The Start For The Pirates
Jared Jones has made seven starts for the Pirates this season and has a record of 2-3 with an ERA of 2.63. His WHIP for the season is .78. In his 41 innings of work, Jones has allowed a total of seven home runs. Looking at his numbers, Jones has turned in four quality starts this year. In his most recent outing, he finished with a no-decision, going seven innings and not giving up a run to the Rockies. Before that, he had given up at least one homer in three straight starts.
Pirates Offense Breakdown
Oneil Cruz and Edward Olivares have been two of the Pirates’ top power threats this season, as they are both tied for 2nd on the team with four home runs. Cruz is batting .252 for the season and has gone 8/27 in his last eight games, with two homers and seven RBIs. Olivares is just 4/21 in his last six games and is batting only .222 for the season. However, he has also gone deep four times.
As a team, the Pirates are near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, including runs per game, batting average, and slugging percentage. They are also the league’s worst team in terms of isolated power. Pittsburgh’s offense has been especially bad at home, averaging just 2.9 runs per game.
Cubs vs Pirates Prediction
Our prediction for today’s Cubs vs. Pirates game is to take the Cubs on the money line at +113. We have the Cubs winning this one by a final score of 5-4. If you’re looking for a parlay, you could also take the over, as the line is sitting at 7.5 runs, and we have this one finishing with nine runs.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Jared Jones is projected to finish with five strikeouts, while Javier Assad is predicted to finish with six. However, Assad is projected to go longer in this one, as Jones is predicted to go just five innings.
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 10, 2024 Cubs, Pirates