Chicago Cubs vs Cincinnati Reds Prediction, 5/26/2022 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Cincinnati Reds

Date: Thursday, May 26, 2022

Location: Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH

TV: Bally Sports Ohio

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-145) Cincinnati (+125)

The Cincinnati Reds (12-30) will compete against the Chicago Cubs (18-24) at Great American Ball Park on Thursday. The odds on this game have the Cubs at -145 while the Reds are at +125. The over/under has been set at 8.5. The pitchers who are expected to start are Justin Steele and Hunter Greene.

The Cubs have tallied 69 doubles as a squad and have knocked 41 balls out of the stadium. Chicago has a slugging percentage of .384 and have been called out on strikes 382 times, while being walked on 143 occasions. As a unit, the Chicago Cubs are compiling 4.4 runs per contest, which puts them at 13th in the league. They have accumulated 170 RBI's as well as 328 hits over the course of the season, and their team batting average comes in at .236. They are sitting with 184 runs while having a team OBP of .315.

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The Cubs have compiled a team ERA of 3.94 for the season (19th in the league), and their staff has rung up 366 hitters. They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.82 and the pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.27. Cubs pitchers have surrendered 50 home runs and also 176 total runs (17th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 130 hitters and their FIP is 4.06 as a squad this season.

The Cubs have dispatched 139 relief pitchers to the mound on the year. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 55 runners so far this season and 29.1% of those players crossed home plate. They have accumulated 12 saves on the campaign and have blown 5 out of their 17 chances to get a save. The Cubs bullpen have recorded a save rate of 70.6% and has entered the game in 32 save situations. The bullpen have a total of 12 holds this year (28th in MLB). Cubs relief pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 38 times and also have had 36 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Chicago Cubs have 1,077 putouts on the campaign, as well as 376 assists and 24 errors. Their fielding rate is currently at .984 which is 19th in pro baseball, and have 44 double plays. The Cubs have turned 69.2% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 3,231 innings on the diamond, ranking them 21st in baseball.

Steele has pitched in 90 frames and has racked up 97 strikeouts in his career. Steele (5-8 record in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 4.51 and he has faced 394 hitters in the major leagues. His earned run average is 4.10 (41 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.378. He has allowed 80 hits (8.0 hits per 9 innings) with 44 walks.

The Cincinnati Reds have recorded an OBP of .291 as well as a batting average of .217 over the course of the season. They have struck out on 379 occasions (9th in the league) and have accounted for 295 base knocks. Cincinnati is sitting with 36 home runs so far this season as well as 158 runs batted in. The Reds hold a slugging % of .352 and they average 3.88 runs per game (23rd in the league). They have 71 doubles, while getting a free base 124 times as well as earning 163 runs.

The Reds have a team WHIP of 1.492 with a FIP of 4.88 as a pitching staff for the year. Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 1.99 (358 strikeouts against 180 walks). They rank 22nd in the league as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 357. They have conceded 56 HR's and they allow 5.93 runs per 9 innings (30th in baseball). The Cincinnati pitching staff have surrendered 237 runs on the year while having a team ERA of 5.78 (231 earned runs given up).

Cincinnati relievers have an inherited score percentage of 45.7% out of their 81 inherited runners. Their relief pitchers have come in 28 times in high leverage situations in addition to 48 occasions with runners on. Sitting with 18 save situations, the Reds have accrued 9 holds and 3 blown saves. They are currently ranked 18th in the league holding a save rate of 66.7%, and they have dispatched 157 relief pitchers to the mound on the season. Cincinnati has had relief pitchers step onto the hill in 9 save chances and they have earned 6 saves.

In their 3,159 innings on the diamond, the Reds hold a defensive efficiency of 68.9% (25th in MLB). The Cincinnati Reds have gotten 27 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .988 (6th in pro baseball). The Reds have recorded 306 assists, 16 errors and have earned a total of 1,053 putouts on the season.

During his pro baseball career, Greene has surrendered 36 hits while he has accumulated 50 punch outs in 39 innings pitched. Greene (1-6 career mark) has earned a 5.49 earned run average and has allowed 8.2 hits per nine innings. He has given up a total of 24 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.475 and having a FIP of 6.3. His K/BB ratio is 2.27 and he has gone up against 179 batters in his pro baseball career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Chicago (-145)

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