Chicago Cubs vs Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction, 9/17/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Arizona Diamondbacks

Date: Sunday, September 17, 2023

Location: Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ

TV: Bally Sports Arizona

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-108) Arizona (-112)

The Arizona Diamondbacks (77-72) will compete against the Chicago Cubs (78-70) at Chase Field on Sunday. The line on this matchup has the Cubs at -108 while the Diamondbacks are priced at -112. The over/under is set at 9.5. The men taking the mound will be Jordan Wicks and Ryne Nelson.

As a team, the Chicago Cubs are putting up 5.0 runs per outing, which ranks them 7th in the league. They have earned 741 runs and have an on-base percentage of .328. The Cubs have tallied 242 two-baggers as a squad and have knocked 178 balls out of the park. They have amassed 714 runs batted in as well as 1,273 hits this season, and their batting average comes in at .254. Chicago has a slugging rate of .419 and have been rung up 1,279 times, while being walked on 511 occasions.

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They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.73 and their pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.27. Cubs pitchers have conceded 163 long balls in addition to 650 runs (13th in baseball). Chicago has surrendered 1,208 base hits (8.3 per 9 innings) in addition to 589 earned runs. The Cubs have a team ERA of 4.05 this year (14th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 1,239 hitters. They have walked 454 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.16 as a team so far this year.

The Cubs have sent 455 relievers to the hill on the year. The relief pitchers have inherited 196 base runners this year with 28.6% of them ended up scoring. They have tallied 32 saves this year and have missed out on 15 of 47 chances to get a save. The Cubs relief pitchers have earned a save percentage of 68.1% and has stepped onto the mound in 124 save situations. The bullpen have 76 holds so far this year (17th in the league). Cubs pitchers have entered the game with runners on base 118 times in addition to having 129 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Chicago Cubs have 3,928 putouts so far this season, as well as 1,354 assists and 81 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .985 which puts them in 17th in professional baseball, and they have turned 126 double plays. The Cubs have turned 69.6% of baseballs in play into outs in their 11,784 innings, which ranks them 12th in MLB.

Wicks (3-0 career mark) holds a FIP of 3.17 while facing 89 opposing batters in the majors. He has conceded 19 base knocks (7.5 hits per 9 innings) and has had 5 walks. His ERA is 1.99 (5 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.059. Wicks has pitched in 22 frames and is sitting with 15 punch outs during his pro baseball career.

The Diamondbacks have a SLG% of .413 and they average 4.60 runs per game (15th in the league). They have recorded 255 two-baggers, while getting a free base 491 times and putting up 685 runs. Arizona has hit 159 home runs on the campaign to go along with 648 runs batted in. They have been called out on strikes on 1,161 occasions (27th in baseball) and have totaled 1,256 hits. The Arizona Diamondbacks have earned a team OBP of .322 and a batting average of .251 on the campaign.

The Diamondbacks have a team WHIP of 1.337 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.42 as a team so far this season. They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.40 (1,233 strikeouts vs 484 bases on balls). They are sitting at 22nd in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 1,277. They have allowed 185 long balls and they surrender 4.89 runs per 9 innings (20th in baseball). The Arizona pitching staff have yielded 716 runs over the course of the season while holding a team ERA of 4.61 (675 earned runs yielded).

Arizona has called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the mound in 68 save chances and they have recorded 43 saves. They are ranked 16th in baseball with a save percentage of 63.2%, and they have dispatched 498 relief pitchers to the hill so far this season. Their relievers have stepped onto the hill 143 times in high leverage situations and also on 152 occasions with runners on base. Arizona relievers have an inherited score rate of 30.4% out of their 217 inherited runners. Sitting with 140 save situations, the Diamondbacks have 70 holds and 25 blown saves.

Out of their 11,856 innings on the field, the Diamondbacks are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 69.4% (14th in pro baseball). The Arizona Diamondbacks have gotten 123 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .991 (1st in baseball). The Diamondbacks have 1,278 assists, 50 errors and have accumulated 3,952 putouts this season.

In his career, Nelson has given up 163 base hits and he has 104 strikeouts in 153 innings pitched. He has allowed 86 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.370 and having a FIP of 5.0. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.21 and he has gone up against 652 batters so far in his pro baseball career. Nelson (8-9 career record) has earned a 5.05 earned run average and has allowed 9.6 hits per nine innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Arizona (-112)

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