Chicago Cubs (40-27) at St Louis (36-32)
When: Sunday, June 17th 2018
Where: Busch Stadium, St Louis, MO
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Chicago -121/8.5
Bitter rivals the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs will conclude their weekend series on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball with the Cubbies looking to do something they haven’t done in a long time. Chicago took the first two games of this three-game set and can sweep the Cardinals at Busch Stadium for the first time in almost eight years. The Cardinals swept the Cubs in St. Louis back in early May, but now Chicago can return the favor and improve on their 19 runs they’ve already scored this series. Chicago sits 13 games above .500 for the first time this season and trail the Milwaukee Brewers by one-half game in the National League Central. The Cardinals have dropped a season-high four straight and five of their last six and trail the Brewers by five games. St. Louis SS Paul DeJong, who hasn’t played since fracturing his left hand May 17th, was cleared to resume hitting Saturday and expects to return in early July. Meanwhile, Tommy Pham is 12-for-42 during a 10-game hitting streak, and OF Marcell Ozuna is 13-for-34 during a nine-game streak with homers in three straight games and an RBI in seven consecutive. The Cubs came up with some clutch, late-inning hitting on Saturday, breaking a 3-3 tie with one in the 7th and two in the 8th to improve to 21-14 away from home.
Pitchers: Cubs – Jose Quintana (6-4, 4.09 ERA) | Cardinals – Jack Flaherty (3-2, 2.96)
Jose Quintana has just one win in his last three outing despite pitching very well. He’s allowed two runs or fewer in three straight starts for the first time since last June after allowing two runs – on a pair of solo homers – over six innings Monday at Milwaukee for his sixth quality start of the season. Quintana is 3-1 with a 2.67 ERA in five starts against the Cardinals, including a loss May 4th at Busch.
Jack Flaherty will make his ninth start of the season and has been very impressive overall. He did have a couple of bad outings bridging May and June, but bounced back to hold San Diego to one run and three hits over 6.1 innings in a win Monday. The second-year pitcher has allowed just one run in five of his eight starts and has 48 strikeouts to only 11 walks in 45.2 innings.
Chicago is on a roll right now, winning 15 of their last 21 and breathing down the Brewers necks, while the Cardinals are in a funk. This is a pretty good pitching matchup, but I’m giving the edge to the Cubs. Flaherty has allowed a home run in five straight games and could get hurt by the Cubs if he’s not careful.
Pick: Cubs -107
BETTING TRENDS:
- Cubs are 4-0 in their last 4 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Cubs are 5-1 in their last 6 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Cubs are 11-3 in their last 14 road games.
- Cubs are 6-2 in their last 8 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Cubs are 14-5 in their last 19 overall.
- Cubs are 14-5 in their last 19 games on grass.
- Cubs are 43-16 in their last 59 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Cubs are 5-2 in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Cubs are 10-4 in their last 14 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Cubs are 7-3 in their last 10 games following a win.
- Cubs are 9-4 in their last 13 vs. National League Central.
- Cubs are 10-1 in Quintana’s last 11 starts during game 3 of a series.
- Cubs are 10-1 in Quintana’s last 11 starts vs. National League Central.
- Cubs are 6-1 in Quintana’s last 7 Sunday starts.
- Cubs are 5-1 in Quintana’s last 6 road starts.
- Cubs are 4-1 in Quintana’s last 5 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Cubs are 4-1 in Quintana’s last 5 starts.
- Cubs are 4-1 in Quintana’s last 5 starts on grass.
- Cubs are 4-1 in Quintana’s last 5 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Cubs are 7-2 in Quintana’s last 9 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Cardinals are 35-16 in their last 51 games after losing the first 2 games of a series.
- Cardinals are 0-6 in their last 6 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Cardinals are 0-4 in their last 4 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Cardinals are 0-4 in their last 4 overall.
- Cardinals are 0-4 in their last 4 games on grass.
- Cardinals are 0-4 in their last 4 home games.
- Cardinals are 4-1 in Flaherty’s last 5 starts.
- Cardinals are 4-1 in Flaherty’s last 5 starts on grass.
- Under is 7-1 in Cubs last 8 games following a win.
- Under is 4-1 in Cubs last 5 during game 3 of a series.
- Under is 19-5-3 in Cubs last 27 Sunday games.
- Over is 6-2 in Cubs last 8 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Over is 5-2 in Cubs last 7 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 17-8 in Cubs last 25 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 35-17-1 in Cubs last 53 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 35-17-2 in Cubs last 54 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 39-19-2 in Cubs last 60 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 4-0-1 in Quintana’s last 5 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-1-1 in Quintana’s last 7 Sunday starts.
- Under is 5-1 in Quintana’s last 6 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-2 in Quintana’s last 7 starts on grass.
- Over is 5-2 in Quintana’s last 7 starts overall.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Quintana’s last 8 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 7-3-1 in Quintana’s last 11 road starts.
- Under is 24-4-1 in Cardinals last 29 during game 3 of a series.
- Over is 5-1-1 in Cardinals last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Over is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 vs. National League Central.
- Under is 16-5-1 in Cardinals last 22 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Under is 17-6-3 in Cardinals last 26 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 18-7-1 in Cardinals last 26 Sunday games.
- Under is 11-5 in Cardinals last 16 home games.
- Under is 13-6-3 in Cardinals last 22 games following a loss.
- Under is 5-1-1 in Flaherty’s last 7 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Flaherty’s last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 6-2-1 in Flaherty’s last 9 starts on grass.
- Under is 6-2-1 in Flaherty’s last 9 starts overall.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Flaherty’s last 5 starts vs. National League Central.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Flaherty’s last 5 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Cubs are 14-6 in the last 20 meetings.
