Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 6/14/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Wednesday, June 14, 2023

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

The Pittsburgh Pirates (34-30) are headed to Wrigley Field on Wednesday where they will try to beat the Chicago Cubs (28-37). The men taking the mound will be Kent Emanuel and Drew Smyly.

Pittsburgh has a slugging % of .405 and have struck out 530 times, while being walked on 235 occasions. They have accounted for 269 RBI's as well as 525 base knocks this season, and their team batting average is .249. The Pirates have compiled 121 doubles as a squad and have smacked 60 balls out of the park. They have tallied 283 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .327. As a team, the Pittsburgh Pirates are scoring 4.4 runs per outing, which has them at 16th in the league.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.44 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.36. Pirates pitchers have allowed 65 home runs and 281 total runs (9th in the league). Pittsburgh has conceded 544 base hits (8.6 per 9 innings) and 255 earned runs. The Pirates hold a team earned run average of 4.05 for the year (12th in MLB), and their staff has struck out 546 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 224 players from the other team and their FIP sits at 4.13 as a unit so far this year.

The Pirates relievers have earned a save rate of 73.1% and has come into the game in 60 save situations. The relievers have inherited 76 runners over the course of the season with 25.0% of them crossed the plate. Pirates relief pitchers have entered the game with runners on base 51 times as well as having 58 appearances in high leverage situations. The Pirates have dispatched 196 relievers to the mound so far this season. The bullpen have notched 33 holds on the season (20th in MLB). They have compiled 19 saves this year and have missed out on 7 of their 26 save opportunities.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a tally of 1,699 putouts thus far, as well as 517 assists and 40 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .982 which is 26th in pro baseball, and they have twisted 57 double plays. The Pirates have transformed 68.2% of baseballs in play into outs out of 5,097 innings, which ranks them 21st in the majors.

Emanuel has thrown 17 innings and has earned 13 punch outs in his career. Emanuel (1-0 career mark) is the owner of a FIP of 5.49 while he has faced 68 batters in the major leagues. His ERA is 2.55 (5 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 0.906. He has conceded 12 base knocks (6.1 hits per 9 innings) with 4 free passes.

The Cubs hold a team SLG% of .390 and they are scoring 4.22 runs per game (22nd in the league). They have 93 two-baggers, while taking a walk 243 times and putting up 274 runs. Chicago has recorded 72 HRs this season and 264 RBIs. They have been called out on strikes on 604 occasions (6th in the league) and have accounted for 530 base hits. The Chicago Cubs hold an on-base percentage of .323 as well as a batting average of .243 so far this year.

The Cubs are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.280 and have a FIP of 4.09 as a staff for the year. They rank 6th in MLB as a staff in total hits surrendered with 521. The Chicago pitching staff have allowed 287 runs on the year while holding a team ERA of 4.18 (265 earned runs allowed). They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.50 (537 strikeouts vs 210 walks). They have given up 65 homers and they allow 4.52 runs per 9 innings (16th in the league).

Chicago has had relievers step onto the hill in 15 save opportunities and they have converted 9 saves. They are ranked 19th in MLB holding a save rate of 60.0%, and they have sent 203 relief pitchers to the hill so far this year. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 47 times in high leverage situations and also on 55 occasions with runners on base. Chicago relievers hold an inherited score rate of 28.3% of 92 inherited runners. Sitting with 43 save situations, the Cubs have earned 27 holds in addition to 6 blown saves.

Out of their 5,139 innings on the diamond, the Cubs have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 69.7% (11th in the majors). The Chicago Cubs have gotten 63 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .986 (15th in professional baseball). The Cubs have recorded 580 assists, 32 errors and have accumulated 1,713 putouts for the season.

Smyly (58-51 career win-loss mark) has a 4.04 earned run average while allowing 8.6 hits per 9 innings. His K/BB ratio is 3.15 and he has gone up against 4,265 opposing hitters during his pro baseball career. He has allowed 456 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.259 and having a FIP of 4.3. During his career, Smyly has surrendered 966 base knocks while earning 983 strikeouts in 1,015 innings pitched.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Chicago

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