Arizona Diamondbacks vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 9/9/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Arizona Diamondbacks vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Saturday, September 9, 2023

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

Odds/Point Spread: Arizona (+114) Chicago (-135)

The Chicago Cubs (76-65) are hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks (73-68) at Wrigley Field on Saturday. The odds on this game have the Diamondbacks at +114 and the Cubs are opening at -135. The total has been set at 9. The expected starting pitchers are Merrill Kelly and Justin Steele.

Arizona has a slugging % of .420 and have been rung up 1,093 times, while drawing a walk on 464 occasions. They have tallied 627 runs batted in as well as 1,201 hits for the year, while their team batting average sits at .253. The Diamondbacks have recorded 247 two-baggers as a team and have hit 156 balls out of the park. They have tallied 663 runs and have an OBP of .324. As a unit, the Arizona Diamondbacks are notching 4.7 runs per contest, which has them sitting at 12th in the league.

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The Diamondbacks have compiled a team ERA of 4.61 so far this season (22nd in the league), and they have rung up 1,168 batters. Diamondbacks pitchers have relinquished 172 home runs in addition to 677 total runs (22nd in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 457 opposing players and their FIP sits at 4.38 as a team this season. Arizona has yielded 1,210 base hits (8.7 per 9 innings) and 639 earned runs. They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 2.56 and the pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.34.

Diamondbacks pitchers have gone to the mound with players on base 145 times in addition to having 137 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers are sitting with 69 holds on the year (20th in the league). The Diamondbacks relief pitchers have a save percentage of 62.1% and has stepped onto the mound in 137 save situations. They have tallied 41 saves on the year and have blown 25 out of their 66 chances to get a save. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 209 base runners on the year and 30.6% of those players ended up scoring. The Diamondbacks have dispatched 474 relievers to the mound for the year.

The Diamondbacks have turned 69.3% of balls hit into play into outs in their 11,235 innings on the diamond, which ranks them 14th in MLB. The Arizona Diamondbacks have 3,745 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 1,217 assists and 46 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .991 which ranks 1st in MLB, and have a total of 117 double plays.

Kelly has taken the ball for 721 innings and has racked up 653 strikeouts thus far in his career. Kelly (47-41 career mark) sits with a FIP of 4.01 and he has faced 2,973 hitters in the major leagues. His ERA is 3.81 (305 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.217. He has conceded 661 hits (8.2 hits per nine innings) and has had 217 free passes.

The Chicago Cubs have a team on-base percentage of .329 in addition to a batting average of .254 for the year. They have been called out on strikes on 1,231 occasions (12th in the league) and have 1,213 hits. Chicago has tallied 170 long balls on the season as well as 691 runs batted in. The Cubs have a team slugging percentage of .420 and they average 5.09 runs per contest (6th in baseball). They have put up 234 two-baggers, while getting a free base 492 times and scoring 718 runs.

The Chicago pitching staff have relinquished 621 runs on the campaign while having a team ERA of 4.06 (563 earned runs yielded). They have given up 156 dingers and they give up 4.48 runs per 9 innings (15th in baseball). The Cubs hold a team WHIP of 1.269 and have a FIP of 4.17 as a unit this year. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.50 (1,175 strikeouts vs 432 free passes). They are currently ranked 14th in baseball as a staff in total hits relinquished with 1,152.

Chicago has had relief pitchers enter the contest in 44 save opportunities and they have walked away with 30 saves. They are ranked 7th in baseball holding a save percentage of 68.2%, and they have sent 433 bullpen pitchers onto the field on the season. Their relievers have stepped onto the hill 119 times in high leverage situations in addition to 113 occasions with runners on. Chicago bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 28.0% of 189 inherited runners. With 118 save situations, the Cubs have accrued 73 holds and 14 blown saves.

In their 11,235 innings played, the Cubs have a defensive efficiency of 69.7% (10th in professional baseball). The Chicago Cubs have gotten 122 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .985 (18th in the majors). The Cubs have recorded 1,291 assists, 77 errors and have a total of 3,745 putouts for the year.

During his career, Steele has surrendered 301 base knocks and he has 338 K's in 328 innings. He has allowed 112 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.253 and a FIP of 3.5. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.07 and he has gone up against 1,384 opposing batters in his pro baseball career. Steele (24-14 record in his career) has earned a 3.07 ERA while conceding 8.3 hits per 9 innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Arizona (+114)

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