Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 9/5/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Sunday, September 5, 2021

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee Sports Network

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+115) Chicago (-147)

Zach Davies and the Chicago Cubs (61-75, 4th in NL Central) play the Pittsburgh Pirates (48-87, 5th in NL Central) at Wrigley Field on Sunday. The line on this game has the Pirates priced at +115 and the Cubs are at -147. The O/U opens at 9. The expected starting pitchers will be Wil Crowe and Zach Davies.

As a team, the Pittsburgh Pirates are notching 3.6 runs per contest, which is 30th in the league. They have notched a total of 485 runs and have an on-base percentage of .302. The Pirates have accounted for 205 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 106 baseballs out of the park. They have recorded 458 RBI's in addition to 1,035 hits this year, while their team batting average is sitting at .232. Pittsburgh has a slugging percentage of .360 and have been rung up 1,114 times, while being walked on 416 occasions.

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The Pirates have compiled a team ERA of 5.06 so far this season (28th in baseball), and the staff has rung up 1,094 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 498 batters and their FIP is 4.70 as a team over the course of the season. They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.20 and their pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.42. Pirates pitchers have surrendered 175 home runs and also 690 total runs (27th in the league).

Pirates relief pitchers have entered the contest with players on base 100 times as well as having 101 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have recorded 52 holds this year (27th in the league). The Pirates relief pitchers have accumulated a save percentage of 56.3% and has come into the game in 87 save situations. They have recorded 18 saves over the course of the season and have missed out on 14 of their 32 save opportunities. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 165 base runners so far this year with 32.7% of them crossed home plate. The Pirates have dispatched 467 relief pitchers to the hill on the year.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have accounted for 3,479 putouts for the season, as well as 1,146 assists and 64 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .986 which ranks 8th in professional baseball, and have 945 double plays. The Pirates have converted 68.8% of balls hit into play into outs out of 10,437 innings on the field, ranking them 24th in baseball.

Crowe (3-9 career mark) sits with a FIP of 6.25 and he has faced 470 opposing batters during his time in the majors. He has given up 117 hits (10.3 hits per nine innings) and has 54 free passes. His earned run average is 5.98 (68 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.671. Crowe has thrown 102 innings and has earned 96 strikeouts so far in his career.

Chicago has recorded 175 home runs so far this year as well as 546 RBIs. They have recorded 185 doubles, while taking a walk 409 times and racking up 577 runs. The Chicago Cubs have accounted for a team on-base percentage of .305 and a team batting average of .231 so far this year. The Cubs have a SLG% of .400 and they average 4.24 runs per outing (21st in MLB). They have been called out on strikes on 1,345 occasions (1st in the league) and have earned 1,027 base knocks.

The Cubs have a team WHIP of 1.374 in addition to having a FIP of 4.77 as a team for the season. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 2.38 (1,167 strikeouts against 491 walks). They are sitting at 23rd in the league as a staff in total hits given up with 1,142. They have yielded 195 dingers and they yield 5.14 runs per 9 innings (24th in MLB). The Chicago pitching staff have given up 679 runs over the course of the season while having a team ERA of 4.65 (614 earned runs conceded).

Chicago has called on relievers to step onto the mound in 45 save opportunities and they have converted 34 saves. They rank 1st in the league with a save percentage of 75.6%, and they have sent 502 relief pitchers to the hill so far this year. Their relief pitchers have taken the field 138 times in high leverage situations in addition to 141 occasions with runners on. Chicago bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 32.1% of 224 inherited runners. With 114 save situations, the Cubs have 68 holds in addition to 11 blown saves.

The Chicago Cubs have turned 113 double plays and have a fielding rate of .985 (11th in professional baseball). The Cubs have racked up 1,303 assists, 73 errors and have a total of 3,565 putouts over the course of the season. In their 10,695 innings on the diamond, the Cubs have a defensive efficiency of 69.4% (20th in the majors).

During his career, Davies has conceded 810 base knocks while he has tallied 602 K's in 819 frames. Davies (56-46 career record) is the owner of a 3.98 earned run average and has allowed 8.9 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed 362 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.310 and having a FIP of 4.3. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.29 and he has faced 3,464 opposing batters thus far in his career.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Chicago (-147)

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