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The New York Yankees (82-60) and Chicago Cubs (72-70) meet Sunday to wrap up a 3-game series. First pitch from Wrigley Field is slated for 2:20 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Yankees vs. Cubs odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Yankees lead 2-0 with 3-0 and 2-0 wins
The Yankees had been 2-6 across their previous 8 games, but they have taken the 1st 2 games of this series. Both contests were shutouts: New York has outscored Chicago 5-0 and Yankee pitching has allowed just 5 hits in the series.
The Chicago offense had banged out an .824 OPS while the club went 13-5 over its previous 18 games. But the Cubs of September have struggled. Over their last 5 games, the Chicago north-siders have gone 1-4 and have been blanked 3 times.
Yankees at Cubs projected starters
RHP Gerrit Cole vs. RHP Jameson Taillon
Cole (6-3, 3.65 ERA) is making his 14th start. He has a 1.29 WHIP, 3.0 BB/9 and 10.2 K/9 in 69 IP.
- Last outing: Win, 6 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 9 K in 8-4 win at Texas Rangers Monday
- Career vs. Cubs: 11-3, 2.61 ERA (103 1/3 IP, 30 ER), 78 H, 22 BB, 120 K in 16 starts
- Has clocked a 1.59 ERA while yielding a tidy .567 OPS over his last 5 starts
Taillon (9-8, 3.66 ERA) is making his 25th start. He has a 1.17 WHIP, 1.7 BB/9 and 6.9 K/9 in 140 1/3 IP.
- Last outing: No-decision, 7 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K in 5-3 loss vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Monday
- Career vs. Yankees: 1-0, 2.70 ERA (13 1/3 IP, 4 ER), 6 H, 5 BB, 8 K in 2 starts
- Pitched for Yankees in 2021-22
Who’s going yard? Here’s a breakdown of today’s best home run props with our top picks. Include the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE to score a $1,500 first-bet offer.
Yankees at Cubs odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:58 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Yankees -160 (bet $160 to win $100) | Cubs +135 (bet $100 to win $135)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Yankees -1.5 (+100) | Cubs +1.5 (-120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 9 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Yankees at Cubs picks and predictions
Prediction
Cubs 5, Yankees 3
Moneyline
Chicago has won 3 straight series finales.
The Cubs have underplayed their 4.51 runs per game and 4.15 RPG allowed. They are more of a 77-win club.
There figures to be some recency bias in how bettors view the starting pitchers in this Sunday matinee. Cole’s expected ERA of late trends higher; Taillon’s trends lower.
Mix in Taillon being a very good pitcher at Wrigley (2.64 ERA, 1.10 WHIP this season) and the Yankee bullpen having question marks, and there is value on CHICAGO (+135).
Run line/Against the spread
Better value can be found on the ML: PASS.
Over/Under
The series has certainly been an Under set so far.
Good pitching, slumping Cubs bats (and the Yanks have registered just a .682 OPS since Aug. 27), and a cool-ish weather day, and the UNDER 9 (-115) has just the slightest of leans. (Consider this one on a partial-unit basis.)
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