Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 5/12/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Sunday, May 12, 2024

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-102) Pittsburgh (-116)

The Chicago Cubs (23-16) are hitting the road to PNC Park on Sunday where they will compete against the Pittsburgh Pirates (17-22). The odds on this game have Chicago at -102 while Pittsburgh is sitting at -116. The total is set at 7.5. The pitchers taking the mound are Jameson Taillon and Bailey Falter.

As a squad, the Chicago Cubs are scoring 4.6 runs per game, which has them at 13th in MLB. They have earned 181 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .316. The Cubs have tallied 58 two-baggers as a team and have hit 41 baseballs out of the park. They have recorded 169 runs batted in in addition to 306 base knocks on the season, and their batting average comes in at .237. Chicago has a slugging rate of .391 and have struck out 340 times, while taking a walk on 141 occasions.

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The Cubs are sitting with a team ERA of 3.68 over the course of the season (11th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 334 batters. Cubs pitchers have surrendered 32 home runs and also 163 runs in total (15th in the league). They have walked 125 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 3.64 as a unit so far this season. Chicago has allowed 312 base hits (8.1 per 9 innings) and 142 earned runs. They have a K/BB ratio of 2.67 and their pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.26.

The Cubs relievers have a save percentage of 57.9% and has stepped onto the mound in 42 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 62 runners this year and 35.5% of those players earned a run for their team. Cubs relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on base 43 times and also have had 52 appearances in high leverage situations. The Cubs have sent 127 relief pitchers to the mound on the season. The bullpen have earned 22 holds so far this year (12th in MLB). They have recorded 11 saves so far this year and have not converted 8 of their 19 chances to get a save.

The Chicago Cubs have notched a total of 1,043 putouts this season, in addition to 320 assists and 26 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .981 which puts them in 27th in the majors, and have accumulated 23 double plays. The Cubs have converted 69.4% of baseballs in play into outs out of 3,129 innings, which ranks them 20th in pro baseball.

Taillon has taken the ball for 966 frames and has 866 strikeouts so far in his pro baseball career. His ERA is 3.93 (422 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.214. He has surrendered 934 hits (8.7 hits per nine innings) with 239 free passes. Taillon (62-45 record in his career) sits with a FIP of 3.92 and he has gone up against 4,028 hitters during his time in the major leagues.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have tallied an OBP of .300 in addition to a team batting average of .220 on the season. They have been rung up on 364 instances (5th in the league) and are sitting with 288 hits. Pittsburgh has 27 HRs on the year as well as 129 runs batted in. The Pirates hold a team SLG% of .327 and they earn 3.49 runs per contest (28th in the league). They have recorded 54 doubles, while walking 146 times and recording 136 runs.

The Pirates are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.222 with a FIP of 3.97 as a squad so far this year. They come in at 16th in the league as a staff in total hits conceded with 308. The Pittsburgh pitching staff have surrendered 163 runs on the season while having a team ERA of 3.76 (145 earned runs surrendered). Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 8.40 (326 strikeouts against 116 walks). They have yielded 42 HR's and they relinquish 4.23 runs per 9 innings (13th in the league).

Pittsburgh relievers hold an inherited score rate of 32.7% of 55 inherited base runners. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 49 times in high leverage situations and on 35 occasions with runners on. Sitting with 38 save situations, the Pirates have earned 19 holds in addition to 9 blown saves. They rank 25th in baseball with a save percentage of 52.6%, and they have sent 120 relief pitchers to the mound over the course of the season. Pittsburgh has called on bullpen pitchers to enter the game in 19 save opportunities and they have converted 10 saves.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have gotten 32 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .982 (25th in pro baseball). The Pirates have 337 assists, 25 errors and have accumulated 1,042 putouts so far this year. In their 3,126 innings on the diamond, the Pirates are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 70.5% (12th in professional baseball).

Thus far in his career, Falter has surrendered 242 base knocks while tallying 194 K's in 235 innings pitched. Falter (12-16 career mark) has a 4.70 earned run average and has allowed 9.2 hits per 9 innings. He has given up a total of 123 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.248 and having a FIP of 4.8. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.73 and he has faced 983 hitters in his career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (-116)

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