Chicago Cubs vs Detroit Tigers Prediction, 8/21/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Detroit Tigers

Date: Monday, August 21, 2023

Location: Comerica Park in Detroit, MI

TV: Bally Sports Detroit

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-136) Detroit (+116)

Comerica Park is the location where the Detroit Tigers (56-67) will take on the Chicago Cubs (63-59) on Monday. The moneyline on this game has the Cubs at -136 while the Tigers are coming in at +116. The total has been set at 8.5. The pitchers taking the mound will be Javier Assad and Reese Olson.

The Cubs have recorded 194 two-baggers as a squad and have hit 149 balls out of the stadium. Chicago has a slugging % of .419 and have been rung up 1,100 times, while drawing a walk on 439 occasions. As a unit, the Chicago Cubs are notching 5.0 runs per contest, which puts them at 5th in the league. They have tallied 589 RBI's and 1,054 hits on the year, and their team batting average comes in at .255. They have tallied 613 runs while holding a team OBP of .332.

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The Cubs hold a team ERA of 4.16 this season (15th in the league), and their staff has rung up 1,006 hitters. Cubs pitchers have conceded 136 home runs and 549 total runs (16th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 378 opposing batters and their FIP is 4.22 as a team on the campaign. Chicago has conceded 1,005 base knocks (8.4 per 9 innings) and also 499 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.66 and the pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.28.

The Cubs have dispatched 378 relievers to the mound so far this year. The relievers have inherited 162 runners on the year with 29.0% of those runners crossed the plate. They have recorded 23 saves this year and have blown 10 out of their 33 save opportunities. The Cubs bullpen have earned a save rate of 69.7% and has stepped onto the mound in 94 save situations. The relievers have recorded 60 holds so far this season (20th in MLB). Cubs relief pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on base 95 times as well as having 95 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Cubs have converted 69.6% of balls in play into outs out of 9,711 innings, which ranks them 11th in MLB. The Chicago Cubs have accounted for 3,237 putouts for the season, as well as 1,117 assists and 64 errors. Their fielding rate sits at .986 which has them ranked 15th in MLB, and they have turned 106 double plays.

Assad has thrown 104 frames and has accumulated 79 strikeouts in his career. Assad (4-4 career mark) has a FIP of 4.44 while he has faced 437 batters in the major leagues. His ERA is 3.11 (36 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.323. He has given up 90 hits (7.8 hits per nine innings) with 48 free passes.

Detroit has knocked in 123 home runs on the campaign as well as 468 runs batted in. They have recorded 189 doubles, while walking 366 times as well as putting up 486 runs. The Detroit Tigers have accumulated a team OBP of .300 in addition to a batting average of .235 on the year. The Tigers have a team slugging % of .378 and they are recording 3.95 runs per game (29th in the league). They have struck out on 1,096 instances (12th in the league) and have tallied 977 hits.

The Detroit pitching staff have surrendered 587 runs so far this season while having a team ERA of 4.45 (540 earned runs relinquished). They have given up 144 homers and they yield 4.83 runs per 9 innings (20th in MLB). The Tigers have a team WHIP of 1.272 and have a FIP of 4.19 as a unit this year. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 8.50 (1,027 strikeouts against 357 walks). They are sitting at 19th in MLB as a staff in total hits surrendered with 1,034.

With 127 save situations, the Tigers have accumulated 75 holds in addition to 18 blown saves. Detroit has had bullpen pitchers enter the contest in 48 save chances and they have come away with 30 saves. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 128 times in high leverage situations in addition to 129 occasions with runners on base. Detroit relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 31.7% out of 186 inherited runners. They are ranked 16th in MLB holding a save percentage of 62.5%, and they have dispatched 403 relievers onto the diamond this season.

Out of their 9,843 innings on the field, the Tigers hold a defensive efficiency of 69.3% (15th in MLB). The Detroit Tigers have turned 94 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .983 (28th in MLB). The Tigers have 1,062 assists, 77 errors and have a tally of 3,281 putouts during this campaign.

Olson (2-5 career record) has a 4.83 ERA and has given up 8.7 hits per nine innings. His K/BB ratio is 3.59 and he has faced 267 opposing batters thus far in his career. He has conceded 34 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.232 and having a FIP of 4.0. In his MLB career, Olson has surrendered 61 base hits while he has tallied 61 punch outs in 63 frames.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Chicago (-136)

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