Chicago Cubs vs Philadelphia Phillies Prediction, 5/20/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Philadelphia Phillies

Date: Saturday, May 20, 2023

Location: Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA

TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (+140) Philadelphia (-165)

The Philadelphia Phillies (20-23) welcome the Chicago Cubs (19-24) at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday. The line on this matchup has the Cubs at +140 while the Phillies are priced at -165. The betting total comes in at 8.5. The expected starting pitchers are Jameson Taillon and Aaron Nola.

Chicago is slugging .431 and have been rung up 386 times, while taking a walk on 159 occasions. They have accumulated 199 RBI's as well as 395 base knocks over the course of the season, while their average at the plate is sitting at .266. The Cubs have tallied 72 doubles as a team and have knocked 54 balls out of the stadium. They have earned a total of 206 runs scored and have an OBP of .340. As a squad, the Chicago Cubs are putting up 4.8 runs per game, which ranks them 10th in baseball.

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They have earned a K/BB ratio of 2.88 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.23. Cubs pitchers have allowed 42 long balls in addition to 184 runs in total (11th in baseball). Chicago has conceded 342 hits (8.1 per 9 innings) and 175 earned runs. The Cubs hold a team ERA of 4.13 this year (14th in baseball), and the staff has struck out 363 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 126 opposing hitters and their FIP sits at 3.94 as a unit for the season.

Cubs relief pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 30 times as well as having 33 appearances in high leverage situations. The relievers have recorded 20 holds for the season (22nd in the league). The Cubs bullpen have accumulated a save rate of 50.0% and has come into the game in 31 save situations. They have earned 5 saves for the year and have not converted 5 out of their 10 chances to get a save. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 43 runners on the campaign with 23.3% of those runners ended up crossing the plate. The Cubs have sent 139 relievers to the mound on the campaign.

The Chicago Cubs have earned a total of 1,143 putouts so far this season, as well as 398 assists and 18 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .988 which puts them in 7th in the majors, and they have turned 41 double plays. The Cubs have converted 70.0% of balls hit into play into outs out of 3,429 innings, which has them sitting 10th in pro baseball.

Taillon has thrown 812 innings and has racked up 736 punch outs thus far in his career. Taillon (51-37 career record) has earned a FIP of 3.80 and he has faced 3,389 batters during his time in the major leagues. His earned run average is 3.92 (354 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.222. He has surrendered 792 base knocks (8.8 hits per nine innings) and has 200 free passes.

Philadelphia has knocked in 45 home runs this year to go along with 175 RBIs. They have hit 83 doubles, while taking a walk 124 times as well as recording 183 runs. The Philadelphia Phillies hold an on-base percentage of .322 in addition to a team batting average of .261 on the year. The Phillies have a team slugging percentage of .421 and they are recording 4.26 runs per game (21st in MLB). They have struck out on 392 occasions (10th in MLB) and have tallied 386 hits.

The Phillies hold a team WHIP of 1.321 and are the owners of a FIP of 3.80 as a squad this season. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 9.40 (391 strikeouts against 134 bases on balls). They come in at 14th in the league as a staff in total hits surrendered with 359. They have surrendered 40 HR's and they yield 5.11 runs per 9 innings (24th in the league). The Philadelphia pitching staff have relinquished 212 runs for the year while having an ERA of 4.63 (192 earned runs relinquished).

Sitting with 39 save situations, the Phillies have tallied 24 holds and also 4 blown saves. Philadelphia has had bullpen pitchers enter the contest in 15 save chances and they have walked away with 11 saves. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 37 times in high leverage situations and also on 36 occasions with runners on base. Philadelphia relievers have an inherited score rate of 45.9% out of 61 inherited runners. They are ranked 3rd in MLB with a save rate of 73.3%, and they have sent 147 relievers to the mound for the season.

The Philadelphia Phillies have gotten 20 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .986 (16th in baseball). The Phillies have accrued 346 assists, 21 errors and have earned a total of 1,120 putouts on the campaign. In 3,360 innings played, the Phillies have earned a efficiency on defense of 67.5% (23rd in baseball).

In his MLB career, Nola has allowed 1,106 hits while he has totaled 1,423 punch outs in 1,284 innings. He has given up a total of 520 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.125 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.3. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 4.21 and he has gone up against 5,246 hitters in his pro baseball career. Nola (81-65 career win-loss record) has a 3.64 ERA while giving up 7.8 hits per nine innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Chicago (+140)

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