Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 5/17/2022 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

The Chicago Cubs (13-20) welcome the Pittsburgh Pirates (15-19) at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. The pitchers taking the mound are JT Brubaker and Keegan Thompson.

The Pirates have accrued 45 doubles as a squad and have hit 27 baseballs out of the park. Pittsburgh has a slugging % of .355 and have been called out on strikes 298 times, while taking a walk on 113 occasions. As a squad, the Pittsburgh Pirates are putting up 3.5 runs/g, which has them sitting at 27th in MLB. They have compiled 109 RBI's in addition to 252 hits on the year, while their batting average is .228. They have a total of 119 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .300.

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Pirates pitchers have allowed 32 long balls and 175 runs (27th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 131 players from the other team and their FIP is 4.17 as a unit this year. They have a K/BB ratio of 2.05 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.34. The Pirates have compiled a team ERA of 4.62 on the campaign (26th in the league), and their staff has struck out 268 hitters.

Pirates bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill with players on base 33 times in addition to having 34 appearances in high leverage situations. The relievers have earned 16 holds so far this season (22nd in baseball). The Pirates bullpen have a save percentage of 71.4% and stepped onto the hill in 33 save situations. They have compiled 10 saves for the season and have not converted 4 of their 14 save opportunities. The relief pitchers have inherited 47 base runners on the season with 36.2% of them ended up scoring. The Pirates have sent 113 relievers to the hill on the campaign.

The Pirates have turned 70.0% of baseballs in play into outs out of 2,682 innings, which has them sitting at 19th in professional baseball. The Pittsburgh Pirates have amassed 894 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 282 assists and 27 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .978 which puts them in 30th in MLB, and they have twisted 23 double plays.

Brubaker has taken the hill for 202 frames and has totaled 210 K's in his career. His earned run average is 5.26 (118 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.327. He has surrendered 197 base hits (8.8 hits per nine innings) and has 71 walks. Brubaker (6-19 career record) sits with a FIP of 4.78 and he has gone up against 879 batters in the majors.

The Chicago Cubs have an OBP of .309 and a team batting average of .232 on the campaign. They have been rung up on 298 occasions (12th in MLB) and have notched a total of 250 base hits. Chicago has knocked in 25 home runs on the campaign as well as 117 RBIs. The Cubs have a team slugging percentage of .361 and they have an average of 3.94 runs per game (20th in baseball). They have put up 54 doubles, while taking a walk 108 times and earning 130 runs.

The Cubs hold a team WHIP of 1.318 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.05 as a staff on the year. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.58 (276 strikeouts against 107 free passes). They come in at 20th in MLB as a staff in total hits given up with 270. They have surrendered 36 HR's and they relinquish 4.44 runs per 9 innings (20th in the league). The Chicago pitching staff have conceded 141 runs this season while holding a team ERA of 4.06 (129 earned runs yielded).

Chicago bullpen pitchers have an inherited score rate of 29.4% out of 51 inherited base runners. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 34 times in high leverage situations and also on 33 occasions with base runners. Sitting with 27 save situations, the Cubs have earned 10 holds and also 4 blown saves. They sit at 10th in MLB holding a save rate of 71.4%, and they have sent 111 relief pitchers to the mound this year. Chicago has called on relievers to take the mound in 14 save chances and they have walked away with 10 saves.

Out of their 2,574 innings on the diamond, the Cubs have a defensive efficiency of 68.5% (26th in MLB). The Chicago Cubs have turned 38 double plays and have a fielding rate of .984 (19th in the majors). The Cubs have recorded 306 assists, 19 errors and have accounted for 858 putouts this season.

During his career, Thompson has conceded 67 base knocks while he has earned 77 punch outs in 80 innings pitched. Thompson (5-3 career mark) has a 2.80 earned run average while giving up 7.5 hits per nine innings. He has given up a total of 25 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.344 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.8. He has a K/BB ratio of 1.88 and he has faced 349 opposing batters in his pro baseball career.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Pittsburgh

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