Reds vs. Cubs Pick
What will be the result when the Chicago Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds Thursday afternoon at 2:20PM EST?
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, the Cubs are a -210 favorite to win. The Reds are listed at +188, while the over-under is set at 12 with the wind blowing out.
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Scott Feldman (7-7, 4.43 ERA) draws the start for the Reds, while Jon Lester (8-7, 3.99) is on the mound for the Cubs. Feldman has seen his ERA rise from 3.78 on June 30 due to three straight subpar starts. He missed nearly a month with an injury and returned on August 12, allowing three earned runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and a walk in a 6-5 loss at Milwaukee. The Reds have lost Feldman’s last three starts. Lester has had an up-and-down season, pitching more like a team’s second or third starter rather than an ace. He’s allowed 10 earned runs (nine earned) on 18 hits in 16 2/3 innings over three August starts, striking out 25 and walking six. The Cubs have lost his last two starts.
Chicago has won two of the first three games in the four-game series, including Wednesday’s 7-6 victory. The Cubs are 63-56 overall and 31-27 at home, while the Reds are 50-71 and 20-41.
After falling behind 1-0 Wednesday, Chicago bounced back with a four-spot in the first inning as Anthony Rizzo hit a grand slam before an out was recorded. The Cubs pushed their advantage to 6-1 before the Reds rallied to tie the score at 6-6. Chicago prevailed, however, as Javier Baez scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Reds are not a very good baseball team despite having a couple All-Star hitters in Zach Cozart and Joey Votto. Lester should be able to navigate through this lineup and it seems as though he’s due for a gem. Feldman is a pretty good pitcher who induces a lot of soft and medium contact, but he struggled out of the gates after missing four weeks so it’s best to avoid him right now. Take the Cubs here.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: CHICAGO CUBS -210