Chicago Cubs vs Texas Rangers Prediction, 3/28/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Texas Rangers

Date: Thursday, March 28, 2024

Location: Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX

TV: Bally Sports Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (+110) Texas (-130)

The Chicago Cubs (83-79 last year) are traveling to Globe Life Field on Thursday where they will meet the Texas Rangers (90-72 last season). The moneyline on this contest has the Cubs at +110 and the Rangers are at -130. The total comes in at 8.5. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Justin Steele and Nathan Eovaldi.

Chicago had a slugging % of .421 and were rung up 1,391 times, while taking a walk on 570 occasions. They tallied 786 RBI's as well as 1,399 hits during the previous year, and their batting average came in at .254. The Cubs accrued 269 doubles as a unit and knocked 196 baseballs out of the park. They racked up 819 runs and held an OBP of .330. As a team, the Chicago Cubs knocked in 5.1 runs/g, which put them at 6th in the league.

Get all of our Free MLB Picks

They accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.68 and their pitching staff earned a collective WHIP of 1.28. Cubs pitchers conceded 179 home runs in addition to 723 runs (16th in baseball). Chicago relinquished 1,328 base hits (8.3 per 9 innings) as well as 651 earned runs. The Cubs held a team earned run average of 4.08 for the previous season (14th in MLB), and they rung up 1,377 hitters. They walked 513 players from the other team and their FIP was 4.16 as a team for the previous season.

Cubs relief pitchers entered the contest with runners on 136 times as well as having 151 games in high leverage situations. The relievers racked up 83 holds in the previous season (16th in baseball). The Cubs relief pitchers accumulated a save percentage of 61.4% and entered the game in 141 save situations. They tallied 35 saves over the course of the prior season and missed out on 22 of 57 chances to get a save. The relievers inherited 223 base runners for the previous season with 27.8% of those players crossed the plate. The Cubs dispatched 510 relief pitchers to the hill last season.

The Chicago Cubs had 4,306 putouts last season, as well as 1,490 assists and 92 errors. Their fielding percentage was previously at .984 which had them sitting 19th in professional baseball, and had a total of 137 double plays. The Cubs converted 69.4% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 12,918 innings on the diamond, ranking them 15th in pro baseball.

Steele (24-16 career mark) has a FIP of 3.49 while he has faced 1,476 hitters during his time in the major leagues. He has allowed 328 base knocks (8.5 hits per nine innings) with 113 free passes. His ERA is 3.30 (128 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.262. Steele has taken the mound for 349 innings and has earned 361 strikeouts so far in his career.

Texas had a total of 233 home runs in the prior season to go along with 845 runs batted in. They recorded 326 doubles, while taking a walk 599 times as well as putting up 881 runs. The Texas Rangers had an OBP of .337 as well as a batting average of .263 last season. The Rangers held a team slugging percentage of .452 and they had an average of 5.44 runs per game (3rd in baseball). They were rung up on 1,416 occasions (14th in MLB) and were sitting with 1,470 base knocks.

The Rangers had a WHIP of 1.268 with a FIP of 4.32 as a staff over the course of the prior season. Their K/BB ratio came in at 8.50 (1,351 strikeouts against 491 walks). They were sitting at 13th in the league as a staff in total hits surrendered with 1,330. They conceded 198 dingers and they conceded 4.49 runs per 9 innings (14th in baseball). The Texas pitching staff conceded 716 runs over the course of the prior season while holding a team ERA of 4.28 (683 earned runs given up).

Texas relievers had an inherited score percentage of 31.5% of 273 inherited base runners. Their relievers took the field 160 times in high leverage situations and also on 163 occasions with runners on. Wrapping up the year with 146 save situations, the Rangers earned 80 holds in addition to 33 blown saves. They ranked 30th in MLB holding a save rate of 47.6%, and they dispatched 467 relievers to the hill last year. Texas had relievers take the mound in 63 save chances and they tallied 30 saves.

The Texas Rangers had 143 double plays and owned a fielding percentage of .990 (2nd in pro baseball). The Rangers accrued 1,423 assists, 57 errors and earned 4,309 putouts in the prior season. In 12,927 innings on the field, the Rangers held a defensive efficiency of 70.3% (4th in professional baseball).

Eovaldi (79-73 career win-loss mark) has earned a 4.10 earned run average and has given up 9.1 hits per nine innings. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.96 and he has gone up against 5,932 batters in his MLB career. He has surrendered a total of 639 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.303 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.8. So far in his career, Eovaldi has allowed 1,424 hits and he has 1,192 strikeouts in 1,401 innings pitched.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Texas (-130)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here