Chicago Cubs vs Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction, 7/18/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Arizona Diamondbacks

Date: Sunday, July 18, 2021

Location: Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ

TV: Bally Sports Arizona

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-118) Arizona (+104)

Chase Field is the site where Merrill Kelly and the Arizona Diamondbacks (26-67, 5th in NL West) will play the Chicago Cubs (45-46, 3rd in NL Central) on Sunday. The Cubs open this matchup at -118 while the Diamondbacks are coming in at +104. The over/under is set at 9. The expected starting pitchers will be Zach Davies and Merrill Kelly.

As a team, the Chicago Cubs are putting up 4.2 runs/g, which is 19th in MLB. They are sitting with 383 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .306. The Cubs have accounted for 114 two-baggers as a unit and have smacked 117 balls out of the park. They have accounted for 366 RBI's and 668 base knocks this season, and their batting average comes in at .227. Chicago has a slugging percentage of .396 and have been called out on strikes 879 times, while being walked on 290 occasions.

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Cubs pitchers have relinquished 117 home runs in addition to 403 runs in total (14th in baseball). They have walked 344 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.57 as a team over the course of the season. They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.33 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.31. The Cubs have a team ERA of 4.09 this year (14th in baseball), and they have struck out 802 hitters.

The Cubs have sent 334 relievers to the hill over the course of the season. The relievers have inherited 144 base runners this year and 30.6% of them crossed home plate. They have compiled 23 saves on the campaign and have blown 9 out of their 32 save opportunities. The Cubs relief pitchers have earned a save percentage of 71.9% and has entered the game in 92 save situations. The relief pitchers have recorded 59 holds for the season (5th in MLB). Cubs pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 92 times and also have had 95 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Chicago Cubs have a total of 2,394 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 869 assists and 49 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .985 which is 8th in the majors, and they have twisted 570 double plays. The Cubs have turned 70.8% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 7,182 innings on the field, which ranks them 7th in pro baseball.

Davies has taken the hill for 776 innings and is sitting with 556 punch outs during his career. His ERA is 3.86 (333 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.296. He has conceded 759 base hits (8.8 hits per nine innings) and has 247 walks. Davies (55-42 career win-loss record) has earned a FIP of 4.27 while facing 3,271 opposing hitters during his time in the majors.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have accumulated an OBP of .306 as well as a team batting average of .231 for the season. They have struck out on 844 occasions (8th in the league) and have accounted for 730 base knocks. Arizona has knocked in 82 home runs so far this year to go along with 359 runs batted in. The Diamondbacks have a SLG% of .371 and they have an average of 4.11 runs per game (22nd in MLB). They have 162 two-baggers, while walking 310 times and racking up 382 runs.

The Diamondbacks hold a team WHIP of 1.472 with a FIP of 4.98 as a pitching staff on the season. They currently have a K/BB ratio of 2.26 (715 strikeouts against 317 bases on balls). They sit at 30th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 871. They have surrendered 138 long balls and they relinquish 5.98 runs per 9 innings (30th in the league). The Arizona pitching staff have conceded 536 runs this season while holding an ERA of 5.39 (483 earned runs relinquished).

Arizona has had relief pitchers enter the contest in 26 save chances and they have recorded 9 saves. They are currently ranked 30th in MLB with a save rate of 34.6%, and they have dispatched 323 bullpen pitchers to the mound for the year. Their relief pitchers have come in 77 times in high leverage situations and on 76 occasions with runners on base. Arizona relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 29.5% out of their 112 inherited runners. Sitting with 60 save situations, the Diamondbacks have accumulated 34 holds and 17 blown saves.

The Arizona Diamondbacks have turned 57 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .982 (24th in the majors). The Diamondbacks have accrued 823 assists, 59 errors and have earned a total of 2,421 putouts this season. Out of their 7,263 innings on the diamond, the Diamondbacks are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 67.8% (27th in the majors).

So far in his MLB career, Kelly has surrendered 320 hits while he has accumulated 280 punch outs in 323 frames. Kelly (21-23 career mark) has earned a 4.25 earned run average while conceding 8.9 hits per nine innings. He has allowed 153 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.264 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.3. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.15 and he has faced 1,360 hitters so far in his MLB career.

So what is Tonights Parlay prediction?

Parlay's Pundit's Pick: Take Chicago (-118) and over 9 runs

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