After a season mired with inconsistencies, the Pittsburgh Pirates appear to be getting it together at the right time. Winners of four straight and eight in a row on the road, the Buccos travel to the Chicago for a date with the Cubs who hold a 14-game lead in the National League Central.
Steven Brault and Jake Arrieta will take the bump. Brault (0-1, 3.60 ERA) hasn’t played since July 29 at Milwaukee, but he’s struggled in his last two minor league outings, allowing 10 runs over 6 1/3 frames in Triple-A.
Arrieta (16-5, 2.62) has enjoyed a productive month, going 4-0 with a 1.98 ERA in four starts. The 30-year-old is 9-2 with a 1.99 ERA in 13 starts against the Pirates, including a 3-1 record and 2.67 ERA in four meetings this season.
When the Pirates and Cubs collide, OVER bettors are profiting. The OVER is 4-0 in the last four meetings between the clubs.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Chicago Cubs sport a record of 82-47 heading into this matchup, while the Pittsburgh Pirates sit at 67-61 on the season Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Chicago vs Pittsburgh injuries news.
This game matches up the No. 3 (Chicago Cubs) and the No. 6 (Pittsburgh Pirates) teams, according to our current MLB Power Rankings.
Statistical Matchup
Rating these teams in several key categories is important for handicappers and Chicago has baseball's No. 3-rated offensive output, at 8.75 hits per game. The Pittsburgh Pirates average 8.77 hits per game, good for No. 15 on the list.
Defensively, Pittsburgh features the No. 15-rated defense on the road, allowing 4.5 runs per game. Chicago, meanwhile, comes in at No. 7 at home, scoring 4.92 runs per game.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
Pittsburgh rolled to a 3-1 win against Milwaukee on Sunday, as I Nova and the Pirates' bats led the team to victory at Miller Park.
Brock Stewart shut down the Cubs in their last game, striking out 0 in a 1-0 shutout over Chicago in baseball action at Dodger Stadium.
Next Betting Matchups
Pittsburgh at Chicago, Tuesday, August 30th