National League Central Division rivals will meet up on Friday night as the Chicago Cubs will visit the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds picked up an 8-4 win in the series opener, and they have now won three of four games from the Cubs this season.
Chicago comes into this game with an overall record of 31-32, and they have been a big disappointment this season. The Cubs are supposed to be a playoff team this season, but it’s been a rough month of baseball.
Cincinnati has been playing great baseball of late, as they come into this game on a five game winning streak. The Reds are still sitting at just 30-33 on the year, but they are starting to make a run up the standings.
The Cubs come into this game with moneyline odds at -105, while the Reds have odds set at -115.
Steele Needs to Set the Tone
Justin Steele will be on the mound for the Cubs on Friday night, and he needs to step up and deliver a dominant start. Steele has gone 0-2 with a 4.10 ERA this season, but he is finally starting to get healthy again.
The Cubs have a bullpen that needs a break, and it’s all going to come down to whether or not Steele can get enough outs. This team has been inconsistent on offense, but they have been having some success of late.
Christopher Morel belted a two-run homer in the series opener on Thursday night, and he now leads the team with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs. There are so many players in this lineup that are slumping, and Morel is going to need some help to win this game.
Reds Getting Some Outs
The Cincinnati Reds come into this game with a team ERA of 3.93, and that is a major change from previous years. There is enough offense on this team to win games, but it all comes down to whether or not they can get enough pitching.
Nick Lodolo will be on the mound on Friday night, and he has gone 5-2 with a 3.11 ERA so far this season. Lodolo will need to keep the ball in the park, but he should put up a low number on Friday night.
Elly De La Cruz belted a three-run homer in the series opener, and he now has 11 home runs and 29 RBIs this season.
Cubs Get Some Revenge
It’s been a rough few weeks for the Chicago Cubs, and the pitching staff has really been letting this team down. Look for Justin Steele to set the tone in this matchup,a nd the Cubs will also get enough offense.
The Reds took advantage of some bad pitching on Thursday night, but they won’t be given free runs in this matchup. Cincinnati has been on a roll, but they are still a team that is under .500 for a reason.
Bet the Chicago Cubs at -105 on the moneyline as they are finally able to get enough pitching to take control of this game.
