It’s tough to know when you can start to look at every team in the MLB and have an idea of how they are going to be for the rest of the season. For some folks, it is Memorial Day that is the unofficial cut-off point, with the idea being that by the time that holiday comes along, we will have seen more than enough to get a clear picture of every team. Of course, there are always some outliers, as you always have teams that have been hit by injuries early on or who are starting to just come out of a slump once Memorial Day arrives.
If we are to believe this way of thinking, then we are looking at the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs are legitimate contenders to be in the playoffs and making a run at the World Series. They started a series on Monday, with the Phillies drawing first blood with an OT win in Chicago. Despite that loss, the Cubs are still favored by 1 ½ in the Tuesday game, with the run total set at 7 ½.
Phillies vs Cubs MLB Week 8 Betting Odds & Prediction
- When: Tuesday, May 21 at 7:05 PM EST
- Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago
- Starting Pitchers: Elfin vs. Quintana
- TV: ESPN
- Radio: 670 The Score
- Live Stream: MLB.tv
- MLB Week 8 Betting Odds: Chicago Cubs -140 (Total 7)
White Sox vs Astros MLB Lines, Game Info & Prediction
Why bet on the Philadelphia Phillies?
The Phillies were on a run that was seeing them give up some ground in the race for the NL East, but they have since reeled off 4 straight wins to open up a 2 ½ game lead on the Braves in second. One of those wins came in a 5-4 extra inning thriller versus the Cubs on Monday night.
It’s never easy to get a win at Wrigley Field, but the Phillies are hot on the road at the moment, going 5-1 SU in their last 6 games away from home. That solid run of form means that the Phillies are now a game above .500 at 10-9 on the road. On the road, the Phillies are 5-3 ATS as an underdog. Zach Elfin (5-4, 2.89 ERA) will get the start for Philly.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 4.98
- Hits: 8.23
- Walks: 4.11
- Strike Outs: 8.70
Defense
- Runs: 4.32
- Hits: 8.96
- Walks: 3.34
- Strike Outs: 8.60
Why bet on the Chicago Cubs?
It has been tough to figure this team out fully, as they have had a bit of an odd start to the season. They were a little slow out of the gate before going on an absolute tear. That positive run took them to the top of the Central, but they are starting to fall back towards the pack after going 5-5 in their last 10 games.
In spite of that not so great run, this is a team that has still managed to win 14 of their last 20 games, so you do get the sense that this current little run is a minor blip on the radar. In the last 8 meetings between these two in Chicago, we have had 6 games go OVER. The Cubs are 13-9 ATS at Wrigley this year. The Cubs will have Jose Quintana (4-3, 3.68 ERA) to the mound for this one.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 5.38
- Hits: 8.78
- Walks: 4.27
- Strike Outs: 9.04
Defense
- Runs: 4.09
- Hits: 8.09
- Walks: 4.00
- Strike Outs: 9.04
Braves vs Giants MLB Odds, Game Preview & Prediction
Phillies vs Cubs MLB Week 8 Betting Trends
- Phillies are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Philadelphia’s last 15 games played in May
- Cubs are 14-6 SU in their last 20 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chi Cubs’ last 6 games at home
- Phillies are 41-59 against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons
- Cubs are 17-7 against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season
- Eflin is 1-1 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 3.20 and a WHIP of 1.322
- Quintana is 0-1 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 4.76 and a WHIP of 1.279
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Phillies vs Cubs
The first game in this series was about as close as it gets, which I think is going to be the tone of all these meetings. I like the Cubs to bounce back with the win in a close one.
Score: Philadelphia Phillies 3 – Chicago Cubs 4
