The NL Central-leading Cubs run into a surging Giants team for a three-game series out by the Bay beginning Monday night. Which way are we going here for our free MLB pick?
MLB Betting Odds
Monday’s MLB betting odds opened Chicago at around -115 over San Francisco, with an over/under of nine runs. Both those figures were holding steady in the early betting action.
Cubs vs. Giants Set-Up
Chicago just took two of three games at home from San Diego over the weekend, missing out on the sweep by losing Sunday 5-1. Just before that, the Cubs took two of three from Cincinnati, and just before that they swept three games from Pittsburgh. So Chicago is 3-0 over its last three series and 7-2 over its last nine games.
At 54-45 overall the Cubs lead the NL Central by two games over second-place Milwaukee.
San Francisco, meanwhile, just took three of four games at home from the Mets over the weekend, taking Sunday’s series finale 3-2 on a walk-off homer from Mike Yastrzemski in the bottom of the 12th inning. Just before that, the Giants swept four games in Colorado, and just before that they took two of three from the Brewers. Going back a bit further San Francisco is 5-0 over its last five series and 15-3 over its previous 18 games.
At 50-50 overall the Giants trail the division-leading Dodgers by 16 games in the NL West but they’ve also sneaked to within 2.5 games of Milwaukee in the battle for the second National League wild-card spot.
This series is the first meeting between these teams this season. Last year these teams split six games.
Monday’s Starting Arms
Rookie righty Anderson, by our stringent accounting, is only 3/12 on quality starts this season and 0 for his last four. Last Wednesday he gave up five runs and eight hits through 4 1/3 against the Rockies in Denver, although San Francisco won that game anyway 11-8. And over his last four starts, he’s allowed 15 runs and 29 hits through 19 innings.
The Giants are 8-4 with Anderson this season, and 4-0 over his last four starts, thanks in most part to some great run support.
This start will be Anderson’s first-ever against Chicago.
Fellow rookie righty Mills just made his season debut for the Cubs last Tuesday, holding the Reds to three runs on five hits through six innings of a 4-3 Cubs win. He also struck out six while walking just one, and only needed 83 pitches to get 18 outs, which ain’t bad.
Earlier this summer Mills compiled a 6-2 mark with a 4.73 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP down at Triple-A Iowa.
This start will be Mills’ first-ever against San Francisco.
Monday’s Batting Splits
Chicago is batting .258/.338/.458 against right-handed pitching this season.
San Francisco is batting .237/.304/.407 against RH pitching this season, which ranks this lineup among the bottom half-dozen in Baseball in this split.
The Bullpens
The Cubs bullpen owns a 4.20 ERA this season and a 1.38 WHIP while allowing a .741 OPS.
The Giants pen owns a 3.89 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP while allowing a .692 OPS. Numbers like those help this unit rank among the top five bullpens in the Majors.
Totals Report
- Unders are 50-47 in Cubs games this season, 6-0 over their last six games.
- Overs are 52-43 in Giants games this season.
- Overs are 24-22 in games played at Oracle Park this season.
- Unders finished 4-2 in Cubs-Giants games last season.
- Get more details: Cubs at Giants MLB Match-up Stats
