Chicago Cubs vs Texas Rangers Prediction, 3/30/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Texas Rangers

Date: Saturday, March 30, 2024

Location: Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX

TV: Marquee

The Texas Rangers (90-72 last season) are hosting the Chicago Cubs (83-79 last year) at Globe Life Field on Saturday. The starting pitchers will be Kyle Hendricks and Jon Gray.

Chicago had a slugging % of .421 and were rung up 1,391 times, while drawing a walk on 570 occasions. They accrued 786 RBI's in addition to 1,399 hits over the course of the prior season, and their batting average was .254. The Cubs accrued 269 two-baggers as a team and smacked 196 balls out of the stadium. They accounted for 819 runs while holding a team OBP of .330. As a team, the Chicago Cubs earned 5.1 runs per game, which had them at 6th in MLB.

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The Cubs held a team earned run average of 4.08 over the course of the prior season (14th in the league), and their staff struck out 1,377 batters. Cubs pitchers surrendered 179 home runs in addition to 723 runs (16th in the league). Their pitching staff walked 513 hitters and their FIP came in at 4.16 as a team over the course of last year. Chicago conceded 1,328 base hits (8.3 per 9 innings) and 651 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio was 2.68 and their pitching staff recorded a WHIP of 1.28.

The Cubs had sent 510 relief pitchers to the hill during the previous year. The relievers inherited 223 runners for the prior year with 27.8% of those players crossed the plate. They compiled 35 saves over the course of the prior season and blew 22 out of their 57 chances to get a save. The Cubs relievers earned a save rate of 61.4% and stepped onto the hill in 141 save situations. The bullpen recorded 83 holds over the course of last year (16th in the league). Cubs relief pitchers entered the game with runners on 136 times and also had 151 outings in high leverage situations.

The Cubs converted 69.4% of baseballs in play into outs out of 12,918 innings on the diamond, which ranked them 15th in MLB. The Chicago Cubs accounted for 4,306 putouts in the prior season, in addition to 1,490 assists and 92 errors. Their fielding rate was previously at .984 which was 19th in professional baseball, and had 137 double plays.

Hendricks has taken the mound for 1,449 innings and is sitting with 1,172 K's in his MLB career. Hendricks (93-69 career mark) holds a FIP of 3.80 while facing 5,951 opposing batters during his time in the major leagues. His ERA is 3.48 (561 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.155. He has surrendered 1,354 base hits (8.4 hits per nine innings) and has had 321 free passes.

The Texas Rangers tallied an on-base percentage of .337 as well as a team batting average of .263 for the previous season. They were rung up on 1,416 occasions (14th in the league) and were sitting with 1,470 hits. Texas hit 233 home runs over the course of last season to go along with 845 RBIs. The Rangers held a team slugging % of .452 and they scored 5.44 runs per contest (3rd in the league). They put up 326 doubles, while taking a walk 599 times and recording 881 runs.

The Rangers had a team WHIP of 1.268 in addition to having a FIP of 4.32 as a team over the course of the prior season. Their strikeout to walk ratio was 8.50 (1,351 strikeouts against 491 free passes). They were ranked 13th in MLB as a staff in total hits relinquished with 1,330. They allowed 198 dingers and they yielded 4.49 runs per 9 innings (14th in the league). The Texas pitching staff yielded 716 runs over the course of the prior season while having an ERA of 4.28 (683 earned runs conceded).

Texas relief pitchers had an inherited score percentage of 31.5% out of 273 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers took the field 160 times in high leverage situations and also on 163 occasions with runners on. Ending the season with 146 save situations, the Rangers recorded 80 holds in addition to 33 blown saves. They ranked 30th in the league holding a save rate of 47.6%, and they dispatched 467 relief pitchers to the mound last season. Texas had bullpen pitchers step onto the hill in 63 save chances and they converted 30 saves.

In their 12,927 innings played, the Rangers accumulated a defensive efficiency of 70.3% (4th in baseball). The Texas Rangers had 143 double plays and had a fielding percentage of .990 (2nd in the majors). The Rangers accrued 1,423 assists, 57 errors and had 4,309 putouts over the course of the prior season.

During his career, Gray has allowed 1,084 hits while he has earned 1,125 punch outs in 1,114 innings. He has surrendered a total of 551 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.308 and a FIP of 4.0. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.02 and he has gone up against 4,733 opposing batters so far in his MLB career. Gray (69-64 career mark) has a 4.45 earned run average while allowing 8.8 hits per nine innings.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Texas

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