The Pittsburgh Pirates (21-26) travel to face off against the Chicago Cubs (26-21) on Sunday, May 19th. This game will be played at Wrigley Field in Chicago and televised on MARQ. The Cubs are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Pirates are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Cubs. First pitch is set for 2:20 ET.
Pirates vs Cubs
Chicago picked up a 1-0 win over the Pirates in the most recent game of this series. The Cubs had just five hits in the game but still picked up the win. Heading into the game, they were favored at -201 on the money line.
Pittsburgh wasted a good outing from Bailey Falter, as he gave up just two hits and no earned runs in 7 2/3 innings of work for the Pirates. David Bednar took the loss.
Hector Neris got the win out of the bullpen for the Cubs, and Shota Imanaga went seven innings, giving up four hits and no earned runs as the starter. He finished with seven strikeouts but issued one walk.
Pittsburgh is 21-26 overall and trails the Brewers by seven games in the NL Central. So far, they are 6-7 in divisional games. The Pirates are on a three-series losing streak, and their overall series record is 4-7-3.
At home, the Pirates are 9-12 this year and 12-14 on the road. As the underdog, the Pirates are 14-14 this year compared to 7-12 as the favorite. They have taken the first two games of this series vs. the Cubs and are 4-6 in their last 10 games overall.
When betting the run line, the Pirates have been a solid play this season, going 26-21. They are 16-10 on the run line on the road, and they have covered the run line in three straight road games. They have been better against the run line as an underdog, going 20-8, compared to 6-13 as a favorite.
With a combined run average of 8.1, the Pittsburgh Pirates have seen their games go over the 7.5 over/under line in just 2 of 9 games this season. Overall, their games have gone over the over/under line in 22 of 46 games this season. The over/under line for today’s game against the Chicago Cubs is set at 7.5 runs.
Mitch Keller Gets The Start For The Pirates
Mitch Keller gets the start for the Pirates today as he faces the Cubs on the road. So far this season, he has made nine starts and has a record of 4-3 with an ERA of 3.93. Keller’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.33. In his last outing, he pitched well, going six innings and picking up the win. Keller didn’t give up a run in that outing and finished with seven strikeouts. Before that, he had given up at least two homers in three straight starts. Keller has one complete game shutout this season.
Pirates Offense Breakdown
Heading into today’s game, the Pirates are averaging just 3.8 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the league. They have been especially bad at home, averaging only 3.3 runs per contest. As a team, the Pirates are batting just .225, and their team on-base percentage of .299 is also near the bottom of the league.
Over the last 10 games, Bryan Reynolds has gone 12/42, and Andrew McCutchen has also been swinging the bat better of late, going 9/35 in his last nine games. McCutchen has also hit three homers in this stretch. McCutchen is batting just .208 for the season, but his 22 RBIs are the most on the team. Connor Joe and Oneil Cruz are also near the top of the Pirates’ home run leaderboard.
Chicago is 26-21 overall, putting them 2nd in the NL Central, two games behind the Brewers. The Cubs are 5-4 against other teams in the NL Central this year. They will take on the Pirates today, with Pittsburgh leading the series 2-1.
At home, the Cubs have gone 14-8 this year compared to 12-13 on the road. As the favorite, Chicago has gone 12-7 and 8-5 as the favorite at home. So far, they have been an even 14-14 as the underdog. Chicago’s overall series record is 7-5-2, and they are 4-6 over their last 10 games.
Chicago is 25-22 against the run line this season, with a 10-12 mark at home. The Cubs have an average run margin of +0.2 runs per game overall, but that number jumps to +1.2 at home. They are 15-10 against the run line on the road and 19-9 as the underdog. Their average run margin in wins is +3.2, while it’s -3.6 in losses.
Chicago’s games have averaged 8.7 runs per game, and they have a 20-25 over/under record this season. The Cubs have played 27 games with over/under lines higher than 7.5, and in those games, the over has gone 6-7. Their games have had an average over/under line of 8 runs per game.
Jameson Taillon Gets The Start For The Cubs
Jameson Taillon is getting the start for the Cubs today, and he is coming off a loss in his last outing against the Braves. In that game, he went 4 innings, giving up 7 hits and 2 earned runs. Taillon has started 2 games this season and has a win and a no-decision, with 11 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings of work.
Cubs Offense Breakdown
Over the Cubs’ last nine games, Cody Bellinger has been swinging a hot bat, going 12/37 with three runs scored and four RBIs. This has pushed his season average to .264, and he is 2nd on the team with seven home runs. Christopher Morel is the team’s top power threat, as he is 6th in the league with nine homers, but he is batting just .217 for the season.
As a team, the Cubs are 14th in the league in scoring at 4.5 runs per game. They have been a little better at home, averaging 4.6 runs per contest. So far, they have been a good team at drawing walks and have the 10th best on-base percentage in the league.
Pirates vs Cubs Prediction
Our prediction for today’s Cubs vs. Pirates matchup is to take the Cubs on the money line at -122. We have the Cubs winning this one by a final score of 5-4. Looking at the starting pitchers, our projections have Mitch Keller finishing with seven strikeouts compared to Jameson Taillon with five.
If you’re looking for a parlay, you could look to pair a Cubs win with the over. The line is currently sitting at 7.5 runs, and our projections have the Cubs scoring five runs compared to the Pirates with four.
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 19, 2024 Cubs, Pirates