Boston Red Sox vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 7/16/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Boston Red Sox vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Sunday, July 16, 2023

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

Wrigley Field is where the Chicago Cubs (42-47) will try to beat the Boston Red Sox (48-43) on Sunday. The pitchers taking the mound will be Kutter Crawford and Justin Steele.

The Red Sox have accrued 206 doubles as a team and have hit 94 baseballs out of the stadium. Boston owns a slugging percentage of .427 and have been called out on strikes 743 times, while taking a walk on 290 occasions. As a team, the Boston Red Sox are earning 5.0 runs per game, which has them sitting at 7th in MLB. They have tallied 432 runs batted in and 822 base knocks on the season, and their team batting average is sitting at .263. They have accumulated 451 runs and hold an OBP of .332.

Get all of our MLB Picks

They have a K/BB ratio of 2.95 and their pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.30. Red Sox pitchers have surrendered 117 home runs in addition to 424 total runs (20th in baseball). Boston has relinquished 785 base hits (8.8 per 9 innings) and also 387 earned runs. The Red Sox have a team earned run average of 4.33 so far this season (17th in MLB), and their staff has rung up 768 hitters. They have walked 260 opposing hitters and their FIP is 4.38 as a squad so far this season.

The Red Sox relievers have earned a save rate of 76.5% and has entered the game in 72 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 90 runners on the campaign with 31.1% of those runners ended up crossing the plate. Red Sox bullpen pitchers have entered the game with runners on 59 times as well as having 78 appearances in high leverage situations. The Red Sox have dispatched 274 relievers to the hill so far this season. The bullpen have a total of 38 holds on the campaign (26th in baseball). They have accumulated 26 saves for the season and have not converted 8 of 34 save opportunities.

The Red Sox have converted 68.5% of balls hit into play into outs in their 7,245 innings, ranking them 19th in professional baseball. The Boston Red Sox have earned 2,415 putouts this year, as well as 810 assists and 61 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .981 which puts them in 29th in the majors, and they have turned 76 double plays.

Crawford has taken the mound for 140 innings and has racked up 137 punch outs during his career. His ERA is 5.12 (80 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.336. He has surrendered 144 hits (9.2 hits per nine innings) and has 44 walks. Crawford (6-11 career win-loss record) has a FIP of 4.37 and he has gone up against 598 opposing hitters during his time in the majors.

The Chicago Cubs have accumulated a team OBP of .325 and a batting average of .246 on the season. They have struck out on 816 occasions (8th in the league) and have earned a total of 742 hits. Chicago has accounted for 96 home runs for the season and 396 RBIs. The Cubs hold a team slugging % of .396 and they tally 4.61 runs per contest (11th in the league). They have tallied 133 two-baggers, while taking a walk 320 times and scoring 410 runs.

The Cubs have a team WHIP of 1.261 in addition to having a FIP of 4.08 as a unit this year. They have a ranking of 5th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 711. The Chicago pitching staff have surrendered 384 runs this year while holding an ERA of 4.00 (349 earned runs allowed). They currently have a K/BB ratio of 8.30 (725 strikeouts vs 280 walks). They have surrendered 88 HR's and they allow 4.40 runs per 9 innings (13th in the league).

With 60 save situations, the Cubs have recorded 38 holds in addition to 8 blown saves. Chicago has called on relievers to step onto the hill in 21 save opportunities and they have converted 13 saves. Their relief pitchers have come in 67 times in high leverage situations in addition to 69 occasions with runners on base. Chicago relievers have an inherited score percentage of 31.6% out of their 114 inherited base runners. They rank 17th in the league with a save rate of 61.9%, and they have dispatched 270 bullpen pitchers to the hill over the course of the season.

Out of their 7,074 innings played, the Cubs have a efficiency on defense of 70.0% (9th in baseball). The Chicago Cubs have turned 80 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .985 (19th in professional baseball). The Cubs have 804 assists, 47 errors and have a total of 2,358 putouts so far this season.

Steele (17-13 record in his career) is the owner of a 3.20 earned run average while allowing 8.0 hits per nine innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.77 and he has faced 1,128 opposing hitters during his pro baseball career. He has allowed 95 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.253 and a FIP of 3.6. During his pro baseball career, Steele has surrendered 239 base hits while he has earned 266 punch outs in 267 innings.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Chicago

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here