Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 8/24/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Thursday, August 24, 2023

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

The Chicago Cubs (65-60) are headed to PNC Park on Thursday where they will attempt to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates (57-69). The expected starting pitchers are Justin Steele and Andre Jackson.

The Cubs have tallied 199 doubles as a team and have knocked 154 balls out of the park. Chicago is slugging .420 and have struck out 1,117 times, while taking a walk on 445 occasions. As a squad, the Chicago Cubs are earning 5.0 runs per outing, which has them sitting at 5th in MLB. They have accumulated 604 RBI's in addition to 1,076 hits this season, while their team batting average comes in at .254. They have racked up 630 runs scored while having a team on-base percentage of .330.

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Their K/BB ratio is 2.64 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.29. Cubs pitchers have yielded 140 long balls and also 566 runs in total (17th in the league). Chicago has allowed 1,032 base hits (8.4 per 9 innings) as well as 516 earned runs. The Cubs have a team earned run average of 4.20 over the course of the season (15th in the league), and their staff has struck out 1,029 hitters. They have walked 390 players from the other team and their FIP comes in at 4.25 as a team on the year.

The Cubs relief pitchers have earned a save rate of 69.4% and has stepped onto the mound in 101 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 166 base runners so far this season with 28.3% of those players earned a run for their team. Cubs relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with players on base 98 times in addition to having 100 appearances in high leverage situations. The Cubs have sent 389 relief pitchers to the mound this year. The relievers have tallied 64 holds for the season (18th in the league). They have accumulated 25 saves for the year and have blown 11 of their 36 save opportunities.

The Cubs have converted 69.6% of balls hit into play into outs in their 9,945 innings, ranking them 10th in MLB. The Chicago Cubs have notched a total of 3,315 putouts over the course of the season, in addition to 1,138 assists and 67 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .985 which has them ranked 17th in professional baseball, and have accumulated 108 double plays.

Steele (22-14 career record) is the owner of a FIP of 3.60 while he has faced 1,307 hitters during his time in the major leagues. He has conceded 287 base hits (8.4 hits per nine innings) and has 105 walks. His ERA is 3.21 (110 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.273. Steele has pitched in 308 frames and has earned 312 strikeouts during his MLB career.

The Pirates hold a team SLG% of .388 and they average 4.21 runs per outing (23rd in baseball). They have recorded 219 doubles, while walking 446 times and scoring 530 runs. Pittsburgh has accounted for 124 home runs over the course of the season as well as 507 RBIs. They have struck out on 1,119 instances (10th in the league) and have earned 983 base hits. The Pittsburgh Pirates have accounted for an on-base percentage of .314 as well as a batting average of .236 so far this season.

The Pirates hold a team WHIP of 1.397 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.37 as a team so far this season. They currently have a K/BB ratio of 8.80 (1,083 strikeouts against 459 walks). They rank 23rd in baseball as a staff in total hits conceded with 1,090. They have given up 140 long balls and they concede 4.96 runs per 9 innings (22nd in MLB). The Pittsburgh pitching staff have relinquished 611 runs this year while holding an ERA of 4.55 (561 earned runs conceded).

Pittsburgh relief pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 32.6% out of their 190 inherited runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 127 times in high leverage situations and on 127 occasions with runners on. With 115 save situations, the Pirates have earned 63 holds and also 15 blown saves. They sit at 7th in baseball with a save percentage of 69.4%, and they have dispatched 404 relievers to the hill so far this season. Pittsburgh has called on bullpen pitchers to enter the game in 49 save opportunities and they have tallied 34 saves.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have gotten 107 double plays and have a fielding rate of .983 (25th in MLB). The Pirates have recorded 1,044 assists, 74 errors and have amassed 3,329 putouts for the season. Out of their 9,987 innings played, the Pirates are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 67.9% (25th in MLB).

Jackson (0-2 career mark) has a 3.98 ERA while allowing 8.7 hits per nine innings. His K/BB ratio is 2.94 and he has gone up against 224 batters thus far in his career. He has conceded 23 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.308 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.3. In his pro baseball career, Jackson has given up 50 hits while he has totaled 53 strikeouts in 52 innings pitched.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Pittsburgh

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