Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 5/19/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Sunday, May 19, 2024

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Pirates (20-25) are on their way to Wrigley Field on Sunday where they will meet the Chicago Cubs (25-20). The starting pitchers are Mitch Keller and Jameson Taillon.

Pittsburgh has a slugging rate of .352 and have struck out 421 times, while taking a walk on 164 occasions. They have 161 RBI's and 338 hits this year, while their average at the plate comes in at .223. The Pirates have earned 64 doubles as a team and have smacked 42 baseballs out of the stadium. They have 168 runs scored and have an on-base percentage of .300. As a unit, the Pittsburgh Pirates are notching 3.7 runs/g, which has them sitting at 25th in baseball.

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The Pirates have a team ERA of 4.02 so far this season (16th in MLB), and the staff has rung up 383 batters. Pirates pitchers have conceded 53 home runs and also 201 total runs (20th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 140 players from the other team and their FIP sits at 4.11 as a squad for the season. Pittsburgh has conceded 370 base hits (8.3 per 9 innings) and 179 earned runs. They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.74 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.27.

The Pirates have dispatched 139 relief pitchers to the mound so far this season. The relievers have inherited 66 base runners for the year and 37.9% of those runners ended up scoring. They have tallied 13 saves this year and have missed out on 10 of their 23 save chances. The Pirates relief pitchers have a save percentage of 56.5% and stepped onto the hill in 47 save situations. The relievers have accumulated 24 holds for the season (14th in MLB). Pirates bullpen pitchers have entered the game with runners on base 40 times and also have had 60 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Pirates have converted 69.7% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 3,603 innings, which has them sitting at 18th in professional baseball. The Pittsburgh Pirates have notched a total of 1,201 putouts this year, as well as 383 assists and 28 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .983 which has them sitting 21st in MLB, and have a total of 34 double plays.

Keller has taken the ball for 578 innings and has totaled 572 K's in his pro baseball career. Keller (29-41 career mark) has earned a FIP of 3.96 and he has gone up against 2,532 opposing batters during his time in the majors. His earned run average is 4.63 (298 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.438. He has allowed 618 hits (9.6 hits per nine innings) and has had 214 walks.

The Cubs have a team slugging % of .388 and they are recording 4.58 runs per outing (11th in the league). They have 66 two-baggers, while taking a walk 165 times as well as recording 206 runs. Chicago has hit 47 home runs this year as well as 192 RBIs. They have struck out on 394 instances (10th in baseball) and have tallied 353 hits. The Chicago Cubs have tallied a team OBP of .318 in addition to a team batting average of .236 so far this season.

The Chicago pitching staff have given up 192 runs for the year and come in with a team ERA of 3.72 (165 earned runs allowed). They have allowed 43 home runs and they concede 4.33 runs per 9 innings (14th in the league). The Cubs have a team WHIP of 1.285 with a FIP of 3.81 as a team this season. They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.70 (388 strikeouts vs 148 walks). They come in at 20th in MLB as a staff in total hits surrendered with 365.

With 45 save situations, the Cubs have tallied 23 holds in addition to 9 blown saves. Chicago has had bullpen pitchers enter the contest in 21 save opportunities and they have tallied 12 saves. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 57 times in high leverage situations in addition to 47 occasions with base runners. Chicago relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 34.3% of 67 inherited runners. They are ranked 21st in baseball holding a save percentage of 57.1%, and they have sent 142 relief pitchers to the hill on the year.

In 3,597 innings played, the Cubs have a defensive efficiency of 69.4% (20th in pro baseball). The Chicago Cubs have turned 25 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .982 (23rd in MLB). The Cubs have accrued 369 assists, 28 errors and have amassed 1,199 putouts for the year.

During his MLB career, Taillon has allowed 941 hits while accumulating 868 K's in 970 innings pitched. Taillon (62-46 win-loss record in his career) holds a 3.93 earned run average while allowing 8.7 hits per nine innings. He has surrendered a total of 424 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.220 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.0. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.59 and he has faced 4,051 opposing hitters so far in his career.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Chicago

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