Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 5/11/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Saturday, May 11, 2024

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: Marquee

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (+106) Pittsburgh (-124)

The Pittsburgh Pirates (17-21) host the Chicago Cubs (22-16) at PNC Park on Saturday. The moneyline on this contest has the Cubs at +106 while the Pirates are at -124. The over/under is 7.5. The expected starting pitchers are Javier Assad and Bailey Falter.

As a unit, the Chicago Cubs are putting up 4.6 runs per game, which has them at 13th in MLB. They have earned a total of 174 runs scored and hold an OBP of .314. The Cubs have accounted for 54 doubles as a squad and have knocked 40 balls out of the stadium. They have accounted for 163 RBI's and 292 hits on the season, and their batting average comes in at .233. Chicago owns a slugging percentage of .387 and have been called out on strikes 335 times, while drawing a walk on 138 occasions.

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The Cubs have an ERA of 3.75 for the year (13th in the league), and their staff has rung up 322 batters. Cubs pitchers have conceded 32 home runs in addition to 161 total runs (16th in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 122 opposing players and their FIP is 3.71 as a unit on the campaign. Chicago has given up 305 base knocks (8.1 per 9 innings) as well as 141 earned runs. They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.64 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.26.

Cubs relief pitchers have come into the game with opponents on base 42 times and also have had 51 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have notched 22 holds this season (11th in baseball). The Cubs relief pitchers have compiled a save rate of 57.9% and has entered the game in 42 save situations. They have 11 saves on the year and have not converted 8 of 19 save opportunities. The relievers have inherited 61 base runners for the year and 36.1% of those runners earned a run for their team. The Cubs have sent 125 relievers to the hill so far this season.

The Cubs have turned 69.7% of balls in play into outs out of their 3,048 innings, which has them sitting at 18th in pro baseball. The Chicago Cubs have amassed 1,016 putouts this year, as well as 312 assists and 23 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .983 which has them ranked 20th in professional baseball, and have accumulated 22 double plays.

Assad (5-8 win-loss mark in his career) has a FIP of 4.79 while he has faced 460 hitters in the majors. He has allowed 106 base hits (9.1 hits per 9 innings) and has had 39 free passes. His ERA is 5.59 (65 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.385. Assad has taken the mound for 104 innings and has accumulated 129 K's in his MLB career.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a team OBP of .301 as well as a team batting average of .220 over the course of the season. They have struck out on 352 occasions (5th in the league) and have tallied 281 base knocks. Pittsburgh has hit 27 home runs on the campaign to go along with 127 runs batted in. The Pirates have a team slugging percentage of .329 and they average 3.53 runs per contest (28th in MLB). They have notched 52 two-baggers, while taking a walk 143 times and recording 134 runs.

The Pittsburgh pitching staff have relinquished 156 runs for the season while holding a team ERA of 3.70 (139 earned runs allowed). They have yielded 41 dingers and they yield 4.15 runs per 9 innings (11th in the league). The Pirates have a team WHIP of 1.204 and have a FIP of 3.97 as a squad this year. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 8.50 (321 strikeouts vs 113 walks). They are currently ranked 12th in baseball as a staff in total hits given up with 294.

With 38 save situations, the Pirates have amassed 19 holds and also 9 blown saves. Pittsburgh has called on relief pitchers to step onto the hill in 19 save opportunities and they have walked away with 10 saves. Their relievers have taken the field 49 times in high leverage situations in addition to 35 occasions with runners on. Pittsburgh relief pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 32.7% out of their 55 inherited runners. They are currently ranked 26th in baseball with a save rate of 52.6%, and they have sent 117 relievers to the mound for the year.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have gotten 31 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .982 (26th in the majors). The Pirates have recorded 325 assists, 24 errors and have earned a total of 1,015 putouts for the season. In 3,045 innings on the field, the Pirates have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 70.9% (7th in baseball).

So far in his career, Falter has conceded 207 base hits while accumulating 172 strikeouts in 220 innings. He has conceded a total of 104 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.225 and a FIP of 4.7. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.73 and he has gone up against 929 opposing batters so far in his pro baseball career. Falter (8-14 career mark) holds a 4.25 earned run average and has allowed 8.5 hits per nine innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Chicago (+106)

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