Milwaukee Brewers vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 4/1/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Milwaukee Brewers vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Saturday, April 1, 2023

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

Odds/Point Spread: Milwaukee (-115) Chicago (-105)

The Chicago Cubs (74-88 last season) are hosting the Milwaukee Brewers (86-76 last year) at Wrigley Field on Saturday. The odds on this game have Milwaukee at -115 while Chicago is priced at -105. The over/under comes in at 6.5. The men taking the mound will be Brandon Woodruff and Justin Steele.

As a team, the Milwaukee Brewers scored 4.5 runs per game, which ranked them 10th in the league. They had 725 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .315. The Brewers compiled 251 two-baggers as a team and hit 219 baseballs out of the stadium. They accrued 703 runs batted in in addition to 1,271 hits over the course of the prior season, while their average at the plate finished at .235. Milwaukee had a slugging percentage of .409 and struck out 1,464 times, while taking a walk on 577 occasions.

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Brewers pitchers relinquished 190 home runs and also 688 runs (17th in the league). They walked 521 players from the other team and their FIP was 3.92 as a team for the previous season. They accumulated a K/BB ratio of 2.94 and the pitching staff had a collective WHIP of 1.22. The Brewers finished with a team earned run average of 3.83 in the prior season (12th in the league), and they rung up 1,530 hitters.

The Brewers had sent 548 relief pitchers to the hill during the previous year. The relievers inherited 191 runners during the previous year and 28.3% of them earned a run for their team. They compiled 52 saves for the prior year and missed out on 31 of their 83 chances to save the game. The Brewers bullpen earned a save rate of 62.7% and entered the game in 189 save situations. The relievers notched 106 holds over the course of the prior season (3rd in baseball). Brewers bullpen pitchers went to the mound with players on base 137 times in addition to having 201 contests in high leverage situations.

The Milwaukee Brewers had a total of 4,338 putouts for the prior year, as well as 1,419 assists and 91 errors. Their fielding rate held at .984 which put them in 20th in pro baseball, and they turned 122 double plays. The Brewers converted 70.4% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 13,014 innings on the diamond, which had them ranked 9th in baseball.

Woodruff (41-25 career win-loss mark) holds a FIP of 3.15 while going up against 2,474 batters in the major leagues. He has surrendered 495 base knocks (7.3 hits per 9 innings) and has 161 walks. His earned run average is 3.18 (217 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.070. Woodruff has taken the hill for 613 innings and has earned 714 punch outs in his pro baseball career.

The Chicago Cubs had a team OBP of .311 in addition to a batting average of .238 over the course of last season. They were rung up on 1,448 occasions (6th in the league) and totaled 1,293 base hits. Chicago recorded 159 home runs during the previous year in addition to 620 runs batted in. The Cubs had a team slugging % of .387 and they averaged 4.06 runs per outing (22nd in baseball). They hit 265 two-baggers, while taking a walk 507 times and scoring 657 runs.

The Cubs had a WHIP of 1.304 in addition to having a FIP of 4.33 as a pitching staff over the course of last year. They had a ranking of 18th in the league as a staff in total hits given up with 1,342. The Chicago pitching staff surrendered 731 runs during the previous year while having an ERA of 4.00 (642 earned runs relinquished). Their strikeout to walk ratio sat at 2.56 (1,383 strikeouts against 540 walks). They surrendered 207 dingers and they relinquished 4.56 runs per 9 innings (21st in MLB).

Chicago relief pitchers held an inherited score percentage of 28.4% out of their 232 inherited base runners. Their bullpen pitchers took the field 186 times in high leverage situations and on 165 occasions with runners on base. Finishing with 136 save situations, the Cubs accrued 57 holds and also 31 blown saves. They were ranked 20th in MLB holding a save rate of 58.7%, and they sent 528 bullpen pitchers onto the diamond last year. Chicago had bullpen pitchers step onto the hill in 75 save opportunities and they tallied 44 saves.

Out of their 12,993 innings on the field, the Cubs had a defensive efficiency of 69.7% (16th in professional baseball). The Chicago Cubs twisted 139 double plays and owned a fielding percentage of .984 (24th in baseball). The Cubs accrued 1,453 assists, 96 errors and amassed 4,331 putouts over the course of last season.

In his career, Steele has given up 161 hits and he has 185 K's in 176 frames. Steele (8-11 career record) is the owner of a 3.53 earned run average while conceding 8.2 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed 69 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.352 and a FIP of 4.0. His strikeout to walk ratio is 2.40 and he has gone up against 760 hitters in his pro baseball career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Milwaukee (-115)

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