Chicago and Pittsburgh are set to square off in an NL Central matchup at 6:40 PM ET at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA. The Cubs are 3rd in the NL Central with an overall record of 65-66, while the Pirates are 5th in the division at 62-68.
SN PT will be televising Monday’s Cubs vs. Pirates matchup, and the money line odds have the Cubs at -107 compared to the Pirates at -112. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs, and Jameson Taillon is starting for the Pirates, while the Cubs are going with a pitcher Mitch Keller.
Taillon Takes the Mound: Cubs Aim to Continue Series Winning Streak
The Cubs are sending Jameson Taillon to the mound today, and he is 8-8 with a 3.77 ERA this year. He has a WHIP of 1.20 and has given up 19 home runs. The Cubs are 65-66 overall, and they trail the Brewers by 10.5 games for the division lead. Chicago is 3rd in the NL Central and 10 games behind the Cardinals for the 2nd Wild Card spot. The Cubs are 17-26 vs. other NL Central teams this year.
Chicago’s offense is 16th in runs per game, and they have been better on the road compared to at home. Seiya Suzuki is hitting .268 with 18 home runs this year, and Miguel Amaya is hitting .421 over his last 6 games. The Cubs are 36-29 at home and 29-37 on the road this season. Chicago has an overall series record of 17-21-3 this year, and they have won three straight series. Their over/under record is 58-68, and they have gone over the total 16 times when the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs. Overall, 37 of their games have had an over/under line set at 8.5 runs, which is 28.2% of their games.
Keller Takes the Mound as Pirates Aim to Climb NL Central Standings
Pittsburgh is 5th in the NL Central, trailing the Reds by a half-game for the 4th spot in the division. Overall, the Pirates are 62-68, putting them 13 games behind the Brewers for the division lead. They have gone 20-16 against other teams in the NL Central this year. At home, the Pirates are 32-33 this season and 30-35 on the road. So far, they have been the favorite in 49 games, going 27-22 in those matchups. As for their games as the underdog, the Pirates are 35-46. Pittsburgh’s overall series record is 18-18-5, and they are coming off winning their series vs. the Reds.
Pittsburgh is sending right-hander Mitch Keller to the mound today vs. the Cubs. He has made 25 starts this season and has a record of 11-7 with a 3.76 ERA. Keller’s WHIP for the season is 1.21, and he has turned in 13 quality starts. Keller’s most recent outing was a gem, as he went seven innings vs. the Rangers and didn’t give up a run. He ended up with the win in that outing. Before that, he had lost three straight starts. Keller’s ERA on the road is 5.36 compared to 2.83 at home. The Pirates offense has struggled this season, ranking near the bottom in most offensive categories. Their runs per game, home runs total, and OPS are all in the bottom 5 of the league. They are also striking out a lot, with their 9 strikeouts per game ranking 24th in the league. Despite the team’s struggles, Bryan Reynolds has been a bright spot, leading the team in home runs and RBI. Oneil Cruz has been hot at the plate recently, hitting .381 over his last 6 games.
Betting on the Pirates: Keller’s Strikeouts Highlight Value Play Against Cubs
Getting the Pirates at home on the money line is a great value today, with the payout sitting at -112. Our predicted final score is 6-5 in favor of the Pirates, giving us some wiggle room with the over/under line, which is currently at 8.5 runs.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Mitch Keller is a much better option than Jameson Taillon. Keller is projected to finish with six strikeouts, which is the fourth-best among all starters today. As for Taillon, he is projected to finish with five K’s, and his matchup with the Cubs is not a good one.
