Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 8/27/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Sunday, August 27, 2023

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

The Chicago Cubs (67-61) are headed to PNC Park on Sunday where they will play the Pittsburgh Pirates (58-71). The men taking the mound will be Drew Smyly and Bailey Falter.

As a unit, the Chicago Cubs are scoring 5.0 runs per outing, which has them sitting at 5th in MLB. They have earned 642 runs and have an OBP of .329. The Cubs have earned 205 doubles as a team and have knocked 155 balls out of the park. They have recorded 615 runs batted in as well as 1,100 base knocks this season, and their team batting average comes in at .254. Chicago is slugging .418 and have been called out on strikes 1,135 times, while drawing a walk on 451 occasions.

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They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.63 and the pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.28. Cubs pitchers have conceded 142 home runs and also 576 runs in total (17th in MLB). Chicago has given up 1,050 base hits (8.3 per 9 innings) and also 524 earned runs. The Cubs hold a team earned run average of 4.17 over the course of the season (15th in baseball), and the staff has rung up 1,054 batters. They have walked 401 batters and their FIP sits at 4.23 as a squad this year.

The Cubs have dispatched 398 relief pitchers to the hill for the season. The relief pitchers have inherited 170 runners on the season with 27.6% of them crossed home plate. They have accumulated 27 saves for the season and have blown 11 of their 38 save opportunities. The Cubs bullpen have recorded a save percentage of 71.1% and has stepped onto the mound in 103 save situations. The bullpen have a total of 64 holds on the year (19th in MLB). Cubs relief pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 101 times and also have had 106 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Cubs have transformed 69.7% of balls in play into outs in their 10,188 innings, which ranks them 8th in baseball. The Chicago Cubs have 3,396 putouts thus far, as well as 1,170 assists and 69 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .985 which is 18th in baseball, and have 112 double plays.

Smyly has pitched in 1,068 frames and has totaled 1,038 strikeouts thus far in his career. Smyly (62-56 career record) has a FIP of 4.39 while he has faced 4,515 hitters in the majors. His ERA is 4.24 (503 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.284. He has conceded 1,036 base knocks (8.7 hits per 9 innings) and has 335 free passes.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have earned a team on-base percentage of .314 in addition to a batting average of .235 for the year. They have been called out on strikes on 1,141 instances (11th in the league) and are sitting with 1,006 base hits. Pittsburgh has knocked in 126 HRs on the campaign as well as 517 RBIs. The Pirates hold a team slugging % of .387 and they are recording 4.19 runs per contest (24th in MLB). They have put up 227 two-baggers, while taking a walk 456 times as well as scoring 540 runs.

The Pirates are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.395 and have a FIP of 4.36 as a squad for the year. Their K/BB ratio is 8.70 (1,105 strikeouts against 471 free passes). They are currently ranked 23rd in MLB as a staff in total hits conceded with 1,115. They have surrendered 141 long balls and they concede 4.93 runs per 9 innings (22nd in the league). The Pittsburgh pitching staff have given up 623 runs for the season while having an ERA of 4.52 (571 earned runs surrendered).

Sitting with 116 save situations, the Pirates have earned 63 holds in addition to 15 blown saves. Pittsburgh has called on relief pitchers to enter the contest in 50 save chances and they have tallied 35 saves. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 131 times in high leverage situations and also on 130 occasions with runners on base. Pittsburgh relief pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 32.1% out of their 193 inherited runners. They sit at 5th in baseball with a save rate of 70.0%, and they have sent 412 relievers to the mound for the season.

Out of their 10,239 innings played, the Pirates have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 67.9% (26th in baseball). The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 109 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .983 (25th in professional baseball). The Pirates have 1,072 assists, 76 errors and are sitting with 3,413 putouts on the campaign.

So far in his pro baseball career, Falter has allowed 190 base hits while he has tallied 154 punch outs in 177 frames. Falter (9-12 win-loss record in his career) has earned a 4.42 earned run average while giving up 9.6 hits per 9 innings. He has given up 87 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.280 and having a FIP of 4.5. He has a K/BB ratio of 4.16 and he has faced 745 hitters in his MLB career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Chicago

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