Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs Prediction: Can the Cubs Get to Mitch Keller, Pirates?
The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs play the second game in their series. Can the Cubs get to Mitch Keller and the Pirates tonight? Josh Gayle answers.
Josh Gayle - August 25, 2023, 1:04 PM EDT
5 minPittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs Prediction: Can the Cubs Get to Mitch Keller, Pirates?
I found a weird line here for today's Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs game. Let's dive into my pick, prediction, and odds for this game.
Pirates vs. Cubs Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: August 25, 2023
- Time: 7:05 pm ET
- Where to Watch: MLB.TV
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs Pick
1u - Cubs +0.5 First 5 Innings -145 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbooks has the best odds for this pick
This line is so weird to me. The Cubs enter this game as -120 favorites, but we are getting them as a first-half underdog. Kyle Hendricks and Mitch Keller both have had similar seasons where they started better than they’ve finished, and we are backing the team with more to play for.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs Prediction
The Cubs are in the Wild Card race, and the Pirates know they aren’t going to the postseason. Both teams will, of course, play hard, but Chicago has more to play for. Keller has been brutal for Pittsburgh as of late, holding a 5.73 ERA in August and a 6.28 in July. It's a fall from him starting the year so well.
Additionally, Keller has a bad history against the Cubs. In 46 lifetime at-bats, they have 16 hits, which is good for a .348 batting average. I expect the Cubs' offense to do some damage on him today and at least leave the first five innings tied. Hendricks is on the mound for us, and although he’s our biggest risk here, he’s about as risky as Keller, and I like Chicago's offense more. Hendricks has a 2.86-road ERA, and this game is in Pittsburgh. Let's hope for more of his road success and that the better team does their job. Let's roll!
MLB Odds
