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It’s a potential NL playoff preview and the lone national TV matchup around the majors on Tuesday when the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies open a series at the disappointing but still wild card-hopeful Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.

Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs: 2024 MLB Expert Analysis, with the Cubbies as short favorites on the MLB odds according to MyBookie Sportsbook.

MLB Picks: Cubs -115, Phillies +105 (total 9.5)
Score Prediction: Phillies 5, Cubs 4

Philadelphia Phillies Moneyline +102

Team injuries

The Philles (55-29) split four games over the weekend vs. the Marlins playing without injured outfielder Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, both of whom are on the injured list.

They were both placed on the IL prior to Friday night’s 2-0 win over the Marlins, though manager Rob Thomson said both injuries were “very mild.” Thomson was optimistic that both players could return before the All-Star break.

Schwarber is dealing with a left groin strain and Harper a left hamstring strain. All-Star catcher JT Realmuto has been on the IL for a while and won’t be back until after the All-Star break. That trio has combined for 44 homers and 127 RBIs this season.

Trea Turner

All-Star shortstop Trea Turner admitted recently that he was trying to do too much in the absences of Harper, Schwarber and Realmuto. But on Sunday afternoon, he did more than enough.

Turner’s clutch go-ahead two-run single in the seventh — one of his three hits on his 31st birthday — proved to be the difference in the Phillies’ come-from-behind 7-6 victory over the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.

Philadelphia scored the final five runs to overcome a four-run deficit — its largest comeback win of the season. The Phils now lead the NL East by eight games.

Though Turner delivered the decisive blow, he had plenty of help. The Phillies’ Nos. 2-5 hitters — Turner, Alec Bohm, Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos — each had multiple hits.

They combined to go 11-for-19 (.579) and drove in all seven of the club’s runs. Sunday was the Phillies sixth game of the season with at least 14 hits and they are 6-0 in those six games. Philadelphia won its first game when committing five or more errors since May 17, 2005, against St. Louis.

Michael Mercado on the Mound

Righty Michael Mercado will make his first big-league start for the Phils on Tuesday, taking the place of the injured Spencer Turnbull.

He should stick around as the Phillies’ No. 5 starter at least until Taijuan Walker (finger) is ready to come off the IL, as Turnbull is projected to miss 6-to-8 weeks and won’t factor into the rotation mix anytime soon.

The 25-year-old Mercado made a one-inning relief appearance in his MLB debut last week, but he had been operating as a starter at Triple-A Lehigh Valley prior to his June 23 call-up and shouldn’t be facing any major restrictions with his pitch count Tuesday.

Michael Mercado has posted a 1.71 ERA and 44:23 K:BB in 47.1 innings at Triple-A this season. His 22.8% strikeout rate, 11.9% walk rate and .240 average on balls in play all suggest that ERA could be in for some regression.

Mercado started the season with four scoreless relief outings before the IronPigs moved him into the rotation. He’s stretched out as far as 91 pitches in each of his last two outings at Lehigh Valley. Thomson said he wouldn’t push Mercado past the 90-pitch mark Tuesday.

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Chicago Cubs Moneyline -135

Last Game

The Cubs’ inconsistent ways continued with a 7-1 loss at the Brewers on Sunday to complete a six-game trip at 2-4. Milwaukee scored all seven runs in the fourth inning.

Chicago’s Hoerner led off the contest with a solo home run, his fourth long ball of the season and second in the last four games. However, he didn’t do anything else the rest of the afternoon, while the team as a whole mustered only one additional hit.

Still, Hoerner managed to extend his hitting streak to eight games, and he’s batting .344 during that stretch.

Mark Leiter Jr

The key reliever threw a light “touch and feel” bullpen session on Sunday in Milwaukee. Leiter was placed on the 15-day IL with the forearm strain prior to their game against the Mets on June 23.

The move to shelve the right-hander comes after he allowed eight earned runs in 3 1/3 innings in his previous four appearances, seeing his season ERA climb to 5.34 from 3.20 in that span. Leiter has 39 strikeouts and 13 walks in 28 2/3 innings (32 games) this season for Chicago.

Cubs’ statistics

As the calendar flips to July, the players are well aware that GM Jed Hoyer and his team are very much in a wait-and-see mode with how to approach the Trade Deadline.

One bright spot of June was the Cubs stealing 36 bases, marking the most in a month since they stole 37 bases in August 1990 (27 games). Also in June, Chicago led the majors in stolen base percentage (90.0%). Overall, it ranks fifth in the majors in stolen base percentage (82.8%) this season and fourth in the National League.

Since June 1, Pete Crow-Armstrong ranks second in stolen bases in the majors (10). He is the only player in the majors with at least 15 stolen bases attempts and no caught stealing. Prior to April 30, Chicago stole only eight bases in the first 29 games, the lowest total in the majors.

Dating to June 1, four Cubs players rank in the top ten in stolen bases in the National League. Chicago batters own a 9.4% walk rate this season, fourth in the majors and third in the NL.

Hayden Wesneski on the Mound

It’s young righty Hayden Wesneski (2-4, 3.60 ERA) on the mound Tuesday.

He will remain in the Cubs’ rotation following the injury to Javier Assad (forearm). Wesneski got a spot start last Wednesday in San Francisco as the Cubs gave other members of their rotation some extra rest.

However, with Assad landing on the 15-day injured list Thursday, Wesneski will stick in the rotation for the near future.

In that outing vs. the Giants, Wesneski surrendered three runs with seven strikeouts over four innings in a no-decision. All three of the runs allowed came on a pair of homers in the second inning.

With a runner on, Michael Conforto took him deep for a two-run shot to put the Giants on the board. David Villar followed with a solo shot to go back-to-back. Wesneski retired all six batters in the third and fourth innings before his day was done.

He struck out seven. The 26-year-old owns a 3.60 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 44/16 K/BB ratio across 45 innings.

Wesneski is 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA in 9.1 career innings against the Phillies.

Bet Phillies at Cubs MLB Odds

When: Tuesday, 8:05 PM ET
Where: Wrigley Field
Pitchers (away/home): Michael Mercado/Hayden Wesneski
TV: TBS
Stream/gameday audio: TBS app