Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction: Which Offense Will Get to the Ace on the Mound?
Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction: Which Offense Will Get to the Ace on the Mound?
The Arizona Diamondbacks will visit the Chicago Cubs to start a weekend series. The Cubs are just 15-21 on the season but they'll get their newly acquired ace back on the mound tonight in Marcus Stroman.
Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks are 18-21 and could get back to .500 with a series win over the Chicago Cubs. With Zac Gallen scheduled to take the mound tonight, the Diamondbacks are in a good position to steal the first game.
Here are our picks, predictions, and odds for Thursday's game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs.
Cubs vs. Diamondbacks Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds
- Date: May 19, 2022
- Game Time: 7:40 pm ET
- Where to Watch: MARQ, BSAZ
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Cubs vs. Diamondbacks Injury Report
Cubs
Out: OF Clint Frazier (Illness), OF Jason Heyward (Undisclosed), 2B Nico Hoerner (Ankle), 2B Nick Madrigal (Back)
Diamondbacks
Questionable: 2B Katel Marte (Hand)
Out: SS Nick Ahmed (Undisclosed), C Carson Kelly (Oblique)
Cubs vs. Diamondbacks Total Movement
Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction
The Chicago Cubs will send Marcus Stroman to the mound for the first time since landing on the injured list. Stroman's season didn't start out all that well. He has a 1-3 record with a 5.13 ERA but will look to get back on track after his injury.
In the last 30 days, Stroman has a 3.81 xFIP with 21.4% strikeouts and just 4.3% of walks. In that regard, he hasn't nearly been that bad. However, ISO power numbers have been getting to him. Stroman is struggling to stop line drives and home runs. If he can limit those two things, of course, he'd be much better.
With their projected lineup, the Diamondbacks have a .201 ISO and wOBA of .326 against righties in the last 30 days. Arizona usually sends out seven or eight lefties against a righty every game and that won't change tonight.
On the other hand, Zac Gallen has a 1.05 ERA to start the season and has been truly electric. Gallen has a 3.78 xFIP in the last 30 days with 28.9% of strikeouts and 3.5% of walks. He's dominated lefties and righties and has overall just been impossible to score on.
The Cubs have a .124 ISO with a wOBA of .294 in the last 30 days against righties. The Cubs also strikeout over 25% of the time and are hitting 51.1% ground balls in those 30 days. Chicago just scored two runs against the Pirates in nine innings. The offense is running out of gas quickly.
Therefore, I'll grab the under 8 in this matchup. I like Stroman to rebound nicely if he's 100 percent healthy and Gallen has just been terrific all year.
Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Pick
- Under 8 (-105) (Bet $105 to Win $100)
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Article Author
Jason grew up an avid sports fan. His passion for sports writing grew in high school and he developed a blog that was strictly for New York Sports. From his work, you will quickly realize that he loves looking at games from an analytical and numbers perspective and hopes to provide you with that same perspective in his articles.