Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 6/21/2022 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

The Chicago Cubs (25-41) are on their way to PNC Park on Tuesday where they will attempt to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates (26-39). The expected starting pitchers will be Matt Swarmer and Roansy Contreras.

The Cubs have earned 106 doubles as a unit and have hit 65 baseballs out of the stadium. Chicago has a slugging percentage of .390 and have been called out on strikes 577 times, while taking a walk on 224 occasions. As a squad, the Chicago Cubs are earning 4.2 runs per outing, which puts them at 20th in the league. They have accrued 255 RBI's as well as 539 base knocks on the campaign, while their team batting average sits at .242. They have accumulated 275 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .318.

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The Cubs have a team ERA of 4.84 on the season (26th in MLB), and their staff has struck out 570 batters. They have a K/BB ratio of 2.54 and their pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.36. Cubs pitchers have allowed 93 home runs in addition to 345 runs in total (27th in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 224 opposing players and their FIP comes in at 4.50 as a unit over the course of the season.

The Cubs bullpen have a save rate of 56.0% and has entered the game in 48 save situations. The relievers have inherited 85 base runners so far this year with 34.1% of those players ended up scoring. Cubs bullpen pitchers have entered the contest with players on base 63 times and also have had 66 appearances in high leverage situations. The Cubs have sent 222 relief pitchers to the mound for the year. The bullpen have a total of 20 holds on the campaign (29th in baseball). They have accumulated 14 saves on the season and have blown 11 of their 25 save chances.

The Cubs have transformed 68.9% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 5,301 innings, ranking them 21st in the majors. The Chicago Cubs have notched a total of 1,767 putouts this season, as well as 602 assists and 33 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .986 which puts them in 9th in the majors, and have a total of 59 double plays.

Swarmer has thrown 20 innings and is sitting with 19 strikeouts in his MLB career. His earned run average is 5.23 (12 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.258. He has surrendered 18 hits (7.8 hits per nine innings) and has had 8 walks. Swarmer (1-2 career record) holds a FIP of 8.74 while facing 88 opposing hitters in the major leagues.

The Pirates hold a team slugging percentage of .356 and they are recording 3.40 runs per outing (28th in baseball). They have put up 81 two-baggers, while taking a walk 196 times as well as racking up 221 runs. Pittsburgh has 61 HRs for the season and 206 runs batted in. They have struck out on 585 occasions (6th in baseball) and have recorded 462 base hits. The Pittsburgh Pirates have tallied an on-base percentage of .289 in addition to a batting average of .219 this year.

The Pirates hold a team WHIP of 1.386 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.39 as a pitching staff so far this season. They rank 19th in baseball as a staff in total hits surrendered with 547. The Pittsburgh pitching staff have allowed 325 runs so far this year while holding an ERA of 4.50 (284 earned runs yielded). Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.15 (517 strikeouts vs 240 free passes). They have allowed 73 home runs and they concede 5.15 runs per 9 innings (25th in MLB).

With 57 save situations, the Pirates have recorded 29 holds in addition to 10 blown saves. Pittsburgh has called on relievers to take the mound in 25 save chances and they have come away with 15 saves. Their relievers have taken the field 62 times in high leverage situations in addition to 65 occasions with runners on. Pittsburgh relievers have an inherited score percentage of 34.3% out of 102 inherited base runners. They are ranked 21st in the league holding a save percentage of 60.0%, and they have dispatched 205 relief pitchers onto the field for the season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 54 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .977 (30th in baseball). The Pirates have racked up 589 assists, 53 errors and have earned 1,704 putouts this year. Out of their 5,112 innings on the diamond, the Pirates hold a defensive efficiency of 68.7% (23rd in the majors).

Thus far in his career, Contreras has allowed 33 base knocks while he has totaled 39 punch outs in 35 innings. Contreras (1-1 win-loss record in his career) has a 2.80 earned run average while conceding 8.4 hits per nine innings. He has given up a total of 11 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.302 and having a FIP of 3.7. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.00 and he has faced 151 opposing hitters during his career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Pittsburgh

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