MLB Odds: Rangers vs. Cubs prediction, pick, how to watch
The Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs begin an interleague series at Wrigley Field. It is time to continue our MLB odds series with a Ranger-Cubs prediction, pick, and how to watch.
The Rangers come in off a win over the Baltimore Orioles at home on Wednesday. This is the first road trip of the season for the Rangers and their second foray into interleague play. So far on the season, the Rangers sit 4-2, after sweeping the Phillies, but losing two of three to the Orioles. The Cubs have not played since Tuesday, coming off a 12-5 win over the Reds. Game three of the series with the Reds was postponed due to weather, and the Cubs enter the day 2-3 on the season.
Here are the Rangers-Cubs MLB odds,
MLB Odds: Rangers-Cubs Odds
Texas Rangers: +1.5 (-205)
Chicago Cubs: -1.5 (+168)
Over: 7 (-105)
Under: 7 (-115)
How To Watch Rangers vs. Cubs
TV: Apple TV +
Stream: Apple TV +
Time: 2:20 PM ET/ 11:20 AM PT
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Rangers Could Cover The Spread
In the final game of the series against the Orioles, deGrom pitched great in a pitching duel with Grayson Rodriguez, who was making his first MLB start. To start the season, the whole lineup was hitting, and everyone producing. In the first two games of the Orioles series, the opposite was happening. In the 2-0 loss to Baltimore, only Josh Jung had a hit. Game two was a little better, with seven hits spread across six different guys. The only run production came via solo home runs though, as Lowe and Garcia each had one.
The bats woke back up in the final game of the series. Seven of the nine batters got a hit, and Josh Jung got three in the win. One of the hits was a 6th inning two-run home run off Austin Voth that gave the Rangers the lead for good. It was Jung’s second home run in the series and the second of the season. On top of the great hitting, the Rangers got support from the bullpen. Jose LeClerc retired all three of the batters he faced to get his first win of the year.
Nathan Eovaldi gets his second start of the season against the Cubs. Eovaldi gave up three runs in five innings in his first start of the season, getting the win. In that game, he also struck out six, but eight batters reached base. In his career against the Cubs, Eovaldi is 0-1 with a 3.95 ERA in two starts. Both of those starts were back in 2014.
Why The Cubs Could Cover The Spread
The Cubs come in off a slightly extended rest, with their final game against the Reds being postponed until September 1st. Chicago found their offense in a big way in their last game, a 12-5 win over the Reds. The Cubs’ offense has been scoring this year, with 28 runs so far on the season. That ranks them 14th in MLB, but they have one to two games less on the season than everyone in front of them.
The offense is being led by Dansby Swanson who is currently batting .500 on the season, scored six runs, and has an OBP of .583. He is setting the table, getting one base, and getting home. Driving in the runs has been Trey Mancini, Patrick Wisdom, and Cody Bellinger. All three men have five RBIs on the season. Wisdom has done so via the long ball, with two home runs on the season as well.
Starting for the Cubs in this one will be their opening-day starter, Marcus Stroman. Stroman did not disappoint on opening day, going six innings, giving up three hits and three walks, while fanning eight and allowing zero runs, all in a win. Stroman picked up where he left off last year, as he ended the season with three wins in his last four starts, a WHIP under one, and allowing only five runs in 26 innings of work. Lifetime against the Rangers, Stroman is 1-3 in four starts with an ERA of 7.71. His last outings against Texas were in 2018, where he gave up 11 runs in ten innings over two starts.
Final Rangers-Cubs Prediction & Pick
Stroman just got an extra day of rest. In his career on six or more days of rest, Stroman is 11-11 in 37 starts all time with a 3.70 era on that much rest. Those numbers are slightly worse than his career average, but with it being so early in the season, it should not be a worry. This game will come down to full lineup production by the Rangers. If they get the full lineup to join in, they win, but if not, they will fall. Today, Stroman shuts down the back half of the lineup, and the Cubs get a hard-fought win.
Final Rangers-Cubs Prediction & Pick: Cubs -1.5 ( +168)
