Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 4/4/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Sunday, April 4, 2021

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee Sports Network

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+160) Chicago (-250)

Wrigley Field is the site where Zach Davies and the Chicago Cubs (34-26, 1st in NL Central last year) will take on the Pittsburgh Pirates (19-41, 5th in NL Central last season) on Sunday. The moneyline on this matchup has the Pirates priced at +160 and the Cubs are at -250. The over/under has been set at 9.5. The expected starting pitchers will be Mitch Keller and Zach Davies.

Pittsburgh was slugging .357 and struck out 521 times last season, while being walked on 167 occasions. They recorded 210 runs batted in and 425 hits over the course of the prior season, and their average at the plate was at .220. The Pirates earned 76 doubles as a squad and smacked 59 baseballs out of the park. They earned a total of 219 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .284. As a squad, the Pittsburgh Pirates knocked in 3.7 runs per game, which was 30th in baseball.

The Pirates had a team earned run average of 4.68 for the previous season (19th in the league), and the staff rung up 536 hitters. They accumulated a K/BB ratio of 2.15 and the pitching staff recorded a WHIP of 1.36. Pirates pitchers surrendered 80 home runs and 298 runs in total (12th in the league). They walked 249 hitters and their FIP came in at 4.80 as a team over the course of last season. Pirates pitchers stepped onto the hill with opponents on base in 64 contests as well as 64 games with high leverage. The relief pitchers racked up 22 holds over the course of last season (24th in the league). The Pirates bullpen accumulated a save percentage of 31.6% and entered the game in 43 save situations. They earned 6 saves during the previous year and missed out on 13 out of their 19 save opportunities. The relief pitchers inherited 104 base runners for the prior year with 34.6% of those players ended up crossing the plate. The Pirates sent 210 relief pitchers to the hill during the previous year.

Keller was the owner of a FIP of 6.74 and he earned an ERA+ of 158. Mitch Keller surrendered 9 base hits in 21.2 innings last year. He allowed 7 ER's over the course of last season and had a K/BB ratio of 0.9. He gave up 3.7 H/9 and his WHIP was 1.246. His earned run average sat at 2.91 and he fanned 16 hitters. Keller has taken the ball for 69 innings and has totaled 81 K's thus far in his career. Keller (2-6 win-loss record in his career) sits with a FIP of 4.30 and he has gone up against 314 opposing batters in the major leagues. His ERA is 5.81 (45 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.651. He has allowed 81 base hits (10.5 hits per 9 innings) with 34 free passes.

Chicago accumulated 74 home runs over the course of last year and 248 RBIs. They hit 82 doubles, while walking 229 times and scoring 265 runs. The Chicago Cubs had an on-base percentage of .318 as well as a team batting average of .220 in the prior season. The Cubs had a team slugging % of .387 and they scored 4.42 runs per contest (20th in MLB). They were rung up on 568 instances (5th in MLB) and totaled 422 hits.

The Cubs had a WHIP of 1.222 with a FIP of 4.18 as a staff in the previous season. Their strikeout to walk ratio was 2.87 (523 strikeouts vs 182 walks). They finished at 22nd in the league as a staff in total hits relinquished with 451. They gave up 74 HR's and they allowed 4.17 runs per 9 innings (6th in the league). The Chicago pitching staff allowed 240 runs for the previous season while having a team ERA of 4.00 (230 earned runs surrendered). Wrapping up the year with 21 chances for a save, the Cubs amassed 26 holds and also 5 blown saves. Chicago called on relievers to enter the game in 47 save situations and they walked away with 16 saves. Their relievers stepped onto the hill in 48 games with high leverage in addition to 54 games with base runners. Chicago bullpen pitchers held an inherited score percentage of 38.0% out of their 90 inherited runners. They were ranked 4th in the league with a save rate of 76.2%, and they dispatched 188 bullpen pitchers to the mound last year.

Davies had a K/BB ratio of 3.3 with 63 total strikeouts and he held an ERA+ of 152. He pitched in 69.1 innings last season while allowing 7.1 hits per 9 innings. Davies gave up 55 base hits while he surrendered 21 earned runs (2.73 ERA). His WHIP was at 1.07 and he held a FIP of 3.88 last season. So far in his career, Davies has surrendered 673 base knocks while he has totaled 497 K's in 683 innings pitched. Davies (50-36 career win-loss record) is the owner of a 3.79 ERA while surrendering 8.9 hits per nine innings. He has conceded 288 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.275 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.2. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.50 and he has gone up against 2,866 opposing hitters in his pro baseball career.

Who will win tonight's baseball game against the spread?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Chicago (-250)

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