Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 9/2/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Thursday, September 2, 2021

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee Sports Network

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+100) Chicago (-125)

Keegan Thompson and the Chicago Cubs (58-75, 4th in NL Central) host the Pittsburgh Pirates (48-84, 5th in NL Central) at Wrigley Field on Thursday. The Pirates open this contest at +100 while the Cubs are coming in at -125. The O/U is set at 8. The pitchers taking the mound are Mitch Keller and Keegan Thompson.

As a squad, the Pittsburgh Pirates are earning 3.6 runs per outing, which puts them at 30th in the league. They have racked up 472 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .304. The Pirates have tallied 202 two-baggers as a squad and have smacked 101 balls out of the park. They have recorded 446 RBI's in addition to 1,013 hits so far this year, and their average at the plate sits at .233. Pittsburgh is slugging .360 and have been called out on strikes 1,078 times, while drawing a walk on 411 occasions.

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Pirates pitchers have surrendered 169 long balls and 672 total runs (27th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 486 batters and their FIP is 4.67 as a unit over the course of the season. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 2.20 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.41. The Pirates have an ERA of 5.04 this season (28th in baseball), and they have rung up 1,067 batters.

The Pirates relief pitchers have earned a save percentage of 58.1% and has come into the game in 86 save situations. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 161 base runners so far this season and 32.9% of them crossed the plate. Pirates relief pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 96 times and also have had 99 appearances in high leverage situations. The Pirates have dispatched 455 relief pitchers to the mound so far this year. The bullpen have accumulated 52 holds on the year (27th in the league). They have recorded 18 saves on the campaign and have not converted 13 of their 31 save opportunities.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have earned 3,400 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 1,118 assists and 61 errors. Their fielding rate is at .987 which puts them in 5th in professional baseball, and they have twisted 922 double plays. The Pirates have converted 69.0% of balls hit into play into outs out of 10,200 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 22nd in baseball.

Keller has taken the mound for 141 innings and has accumulated 149 punch outs so far in his pro baseball career. Keller (6-16 win-loss mark in his career) has earned a FIP of 4.59 and he has faced 655 opposing hitters in the majors. His earned run average is 6.29 (99 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.729. He has conceded 173 hits (11.0 hits per nine innings) with 72 walks.

Chicago has compiled 170 home runs this season and 532 RBIs. They have put up 180 doubles, while walking 399 times as well as scoring 562 runs. The Chicago Cubs are sitting with a team on-base percentage of .305 and a team batting average of .230 so far this year. The Cubs hold a team SLG% of .399 and they score 4.23 runs per game (21st in baseball). They have been called out on strikes on 1,313 instances (1st in MLB) and have 1,000 base hits.

The Cubs have a WHIP of 1.389 in addition to having a FIP of 4.80 as a team over the course of the season. Their K/BB ratio is 2.34 (1,133 strikeouts vs 484 free passes). They rank 24th in MLB as a staff in total hits surrendered with 1,126. They have surrendered 191 long balls and they relinquish 5.19 runs per 9 innings (26th in the league). The Chicago pitching staff have yielded 669 runs on the season while holding a team ERA of 4.72 (608 earned runs surrendered).

Chicago relievers have an inherited score percentage of 32.4% out of their 222 inherited base runners. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 133 times in high leverage situations and on 138 occasions with runners on base. Sitting with 109 save situations, the Cubs have recorded 66 holds and 10 blown saves. They sit at 1st in MLB holding a save rate of 76.2%, and they have dispatched 492 relievers to the hill for the year. Chicago has had relief pitchers step onto the mound in 42 save chances and they have tallied 32 saves.

The Chicago Cubs have turned 110 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .986 (12th in pro baseball). The Cubs have recorded 1,270 assists, 69 errors and are sitting with 3,478 putouts for the year. In their 10,434 innings on the diamond, the Cubs have earned a defensive efficiency of 69.3% (20th in pro baseball).

So far in his career, Thompson has allowed 40 hits while earning 45 K's in 46 innings pitched. Thompson (3-3 career record) holds a 3.09 ERA while allowing 7.7 hits per nine innings. He has surrendered a total of 16 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.414 and a FIP of 4.9. He has a K/BB ratio of 1.73 and he has gone up against 207 opposing batters so far in his MLB career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+100)

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