AMEDEUS' MLB NL CENTRAL GAME OF THE YEAR!
(MLB) Cubs (CHC) vs. Pirates (PIT),
Money Line: -112.00 Pirates (PIT) (Home)
Result: Loss
The Cubs are coming into this game with a 65-66 record this season and they have been much worse on the road at 29-37. They won their series against the Marlins over the weekend but they are coming off of a 7-2 loss in that last game on Sunday and have been getting by against some very weak teams recently. They are going up against a Pirates team that is 62-68 this season and is actually sitting at the bottom of their division, but they have been better at home this season at 32-33. They have also been playing better in their recent games as they have won 3 of their last 4 as well as 4 of their last 6 games, winning their series against the Reds at home over the weekend. Jameson Taillon is starting for the Cubs in this game and he is 8-8 with a 3.77 ERA this season. He has not been pitching well in his recent starts, allowing at least 4 earned runs in each of his last 3 as well as 4 of his last 5 starts. He has also been much worse on the road as he has allowed 15 earned runs total in his last 3 road starts and has been consistently allowing lots of runs on the road all season. He also allowed 3 earned runs earlier this season in his only start against the Pirates, and that start was at home as well. Mitch Keller is starting for the Pirates in this game and he is 11-7 with a 3.76 ERA this season. He had 2 very poor starts against the Padres and the Dodgers recently, but both of those starts were on the road and he bounced back in his last start, allowing no runs in 7 innings against the Rangers on the road. He has been much better at home all season though, allowing 2 earned runs or less in each of their last 3 as well as 7 of his last 8 starts there, allowing just 1 earned run or less in 6 of those as well. He also pitched well against the Cubs earlier this season, allowing 2 earned runs on the road. The Pirates have been heating up again in their recent games and Keller has been a much better starter at home while Taillon has been struggling on the road recently, and the Cubs do not have a great bullpen to back him up either. The Pirates will win this game at home.