Detroit Tigers vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 8/21/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Detroit Tigers vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Bally Sports Detroit

Odds/Point Spread: Detroit (+138) Chicago (-164)

The Detroit Tigers (61-64) are traveling to Wrigley Field on Wednesday where they will attempt to beat the Chicago Cubs (61-64). The moneyline on this game has the Tigers at +138 while the Cubs are at -164. The over/under is 7.5. The starting pitchers are Kenta Maeda and Jameson Taillon.

As a team, the Detroit Tigers are scoring 4.1 runs per contest, which is 22nd in MLB. They have notched a total of 518 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .294. The Tigers have accumulated 185 two-baggers as a squad and have knocked 126 baseballs out of the park. They have amassed 497 runs batted in in addition to 968 hits this season, and their average at the plate comes in at .231. Detroit has a slugging percentage of .383 and have been called out on strikes 1,087 times, while taking a walk on 348 occasions.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio is 3.19 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.19. Tigers pitchers have surrendered 127 home runs and 521 total runs (12th in the league). Detroit has relinquished 994 hits (8.1 per 9 innings) and 472 earned runs. The Tigers have an earned run average of 3.82 on the campaign (11th in the league), and the staff has struck out 1,063 hitters. They have walked 333 batters and their FIP sits at 3.77 as a team over the course of the season.

The Tigers relief pitchers have a save rate of 57.4% and stepped onto the hill in 101 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 188 base runners for the season with 26.6% of those runners ended up scoring. Tigers bullpen pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on base 136 times in addition to having 121 appearances in high leverage situations. The Tigers have dispatched 381 relief pitchers to the hill on the year. The relief pitchers have 53 holds on the campaign (27th in baseball). They have 27 saves for the season and have missed out on 20 of their 47 chances to get a save.

The Detroit Tigers have earned a total of 3,333 putouts thus far, as well as 1,066 assists and 65 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .985 which puts them in 13th in professional baseball, and they have turned 100 double plays. The Tigers have converted 70.2% of balls in play into outs out of their 9,999 innings on the diamond, which ranks them 13th in baseball.

Maeda has pitched in 956 innings and is sitting with 1,022 K's so far in his MLB career. His ERA is 4.13 (439 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.165. He has allowed 841 base knocks (7.9 hits per nine innings) and has had 273 walks. Maeda (67-54 career mark) has earned a FIP of 4.07 while he has gone up against 3,947 hitters during his time in the majors.

The Cubs hold a slugging percentage of .384 and they average 4.18 runs per contest (20th in MLB). They have put up 192 doubles, while getting a free base 408 times as well as putting up 522 runs. Chicago is sitting with 129 long balls on the year to go along with 492 runs batted in. They have struck out on 1,074 occasions (13th in the league) and have 973 base hits. The Chicago Cubs have compiled a team on-base percentage of .309 and a team batting average of .234 this season.

The Cubs have a team WHIP of 1.235 and are the owners of a FIP of 3.92 as a staff for the year. They come in at 10th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 994. The Chicago pitching staff have conceded 518 runs so far this season while holding an ERA of 3.71 (455 earned runs relinquished). Their K/BB ratio comes in at 8.70 (1,063 strikeouts against 368 free passes). They have given up 133 long balls and they give up 4.23 runs per 9 innings (11th in MLB).

Chicago bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 30.5% out of their 164 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill 134 times in high leverage situations and also on 112 occasions with runners on. With 110 save situations, the Cubs have tallied 60 holds and 22 blown saves. They rank 26th in the league holding a save percentage of 55.1%, and they have dispatched 380 relievers onto the diamond this season. Chicago has had bullpen pitchers take the mound in 49 save opportunities and they have converted 27 saves.

Out of their 9,927 innings played, the Cubs have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 70.3% (11th in pro baseball). The Chicago Cubs have gotten 65 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .986 (12th in the majors). The Cubs have accrued 997 assists, 63 errors and have accounted for 3,309 putouts over the course of the season.

Taillon (67-52 win-loss record in his career) has a 3.96 earned run average while giving up 8.8 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.67 and he has gone up against 4,436 hitters so far in his career. He has allowed a total of 468 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.220 and having a FIP of 3.9. So far in his MLB career, Taillon has surrendered 1,038 base hits while accumulating 946 strikeouts in 1,063 frames.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Chicago (-164)

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