Cubs vs. Pirates Monday Prediction
National League Central rivals will meet in Pittsburgh on Monday night when the Pirates host the Cubs at 7:05 p.m. ET. Given the Cubs’ recent struggles, are the Pirates a good value play as a home underdog?
Game Snapshot & Odds
951 Chicago Cubs (-125) at 952 Pittsburgh Pirates (+105); 9.5 runs
Monday, July 1, 2019
7:05 p.m. ET, PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Compare odds and from multiple different online sportsbooks and shop for the best lines at our new Baseball Odds & Betting Page.
Public Betting Trends
According to our MLB Public Betting Chart page, 58% of the betting tickets are on the Cubs to beat the Pirates on the moneyline.
Chicago Cubs Fantasy Spin
Kyle Schwarber went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run in Sunday’s loss to the Reds. Schwarber swatted a fly ball to left field in the seventh inning that cleared the wall for a two-run homer, his 18th homer of the year. The 26-year-old now has 40 RBI and 43 runs scored while hitting primarily from the leadoff spot for the Cubs. His .234 average and .320 on-base percentage don’t scream “leadoff hitter,” but it’s clearly OK with manager Joe Maddon, and fantasy players surely don’t mind him hitting atop a good Cubs lineup most days.
Pittsburgh Pirates Fantasy Spin
Starling Marte went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Sunday’s loss to the Brewers. Marte had three of the Pirates seven hits on the afternoon, and he scored their only run in the first inning. All three of his hits were singles. In 72 games this year, the 30-year-old has 12 homers and 12 steals with a .276/.319/.465 line. He’s been especially good in the past two months, hitting .300 with nine of those homers and nine of those steals since the start of May.
MLB Betting Trends
Chicago
The Cubs are 5-1 in their last six road games when facing an opponent with a losing home record.
Pittsburgh
The Pirates are 4-1 in their last five games when their opponent scores five runs or more in its previous contest.
Prediction:
The Cubs have been dreadful on the road of late, dropping 10 of 13 away from the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. They’re also just 3-9 in their last 12 road games versus a right-handed starter and have dropped four of their last five games after scoring five or more runs in their previous contest. On the other side, the Pirates have won four straight at home, four of five games following a loss and four straight at PNC Park when facing a right-handed starter. They have also been profitable when Trevor Williams starts, going 5-1 in his last six home starts.
Monday MLB Prediction: Pittsburgh Pirates +105