Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 5/18/2022 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

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

The Pittsburgh Pirates (15-20) are traveling to Wrigley Field on Wednesday where they will attempt to beat the Chicago Cubs (14-20). The moneyline on this matchup has the Pirates at +125 while the Cubs open at -145. The total comes in at 8. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Mitch Keller and Drew Smyly.

As a team, the Pittsburgh Pirates are putting up 3.4 runs/g, which is 27th in the league. They have notched a total of 119 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .295. The Pirates have accounted for 45 two-baggers as a squad and have hit 27 balls out of the park. They have amassed 109 runs batted in as well as 255 base knocks for the season, and their batting average sits at .225. Pittsburgh has a slugging rate of .348 and have been rung up 305 times, while taking a walk on 113 occasions.

Get all of our MLB Betting Picks

The Pirates are sitting with a team ERA of 4.74 on the campaign (27th in MLB), and their staff has rung up 273 hitters. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.02 and their pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.36. Pirates pitchers have allowed 33 home runs and 184 runs (27th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 135 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 4.19 as a team over the course of the season.

Pirates relief pitchers have entered the game with players on base 34 times in addition to having 35 appearances in high leverage situations. The relievers have recorded 16 holds on the campaign (23rd in MLB). The Pirates relievers have a save rate of 71.4% and has stepped onto the mound in 33 save situations. They have tallied 10 saves so far this year and have missed out on 4 out of their 14 save chances. The relievers have inherited 50 base runners on the season with 40.0% of them crossed the plate. The Pirates have sent 116 relief pitchers to the hill on the campaign.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have accumulated 918 putouts on the year, as well as 296 assists and 28 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .977 which has them sitting 30th in professional baseball, and they have twisted 24 double plays. The Pirates have turned 69.7% of baseballs in play into outs out of their 2,754 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting 21st in professional baseball.

Keller has taken the mound for 203 innings and is sitting with 199 K's in his career. His earned run average is 6.12 (138 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.700. He has conceded 250 base hits (11.1 hits per 9 innings) with 95 walks. Keller (7-22 win-loss mark in his career) has earned a FIP of 4.36 while facing 932 hitters in the majors.

Chicago has knocked in 26 home runs on the campaign to go along with 125 runs batted in. They have put up 58 doubles, while taking a walk 112 times and notching 139 runs. The Chicago Cubs hold an on-base percentage of .313 in addition to a team batting average of .236 for the season. The Cubs hold a team SLG% of .366 and they score 4.09 runs per contest (16th in the league). They have struck out on 303 occasions (13th in baseball) and have accounted for 263 base hits.

The Cubs are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.288 in addition to having a FIP of 3.97 as a pitching staff on the season. They rank 17th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 273. The Chicago pitching staff have surrendered 141 runs for the year while holding an ERA of 3.94 (129 earned runs surrendered). Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.64 (283 strikeouts against 107 bases on balls). They have given up 36 long balls and they allow 4.30 runs per 9 innings (18th in MLB).

Chicago has called on bullpen pitchers to take the mound in 14 save chances and they have walked away with 10 saves. They rank 10th in MLB with a save percentage of 71.4%, and they have dispatched 112 relievers onto the field so far this year. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 34 times in high leverage situations and also on 33 occasions with runners on. Chicago relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 29.4% out of 51 inherited base runners. Sitting with 27 save situations, the Cubs have earned 10 holds in addition to 4 blown saves.

In 2,655 innings on the diamond, the Cubs have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 69.0% (23rd in pro baseball). The Chicago Cubs have gotten 38 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .984 (18th in professional baseball). The Cubs have recorded 318 assists, 19 errors and have a tally of 885 putouts this season.

In his career, Smyly has conceded 836 hits while he has tallied 852 strikeouts in 867 frames. Smyly (47-43 win-loss mark in his career) is the owner of a 4.16 earned run average while giving up 8.7 hits per 9 innings. He has given up a total of 401 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.278 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.3. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.13 and he has gone up against 3,647 opposing batters so far in his career.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+125)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here