The 6-seed Miami Marlins look to eliminate the 3-seed Chicago Cubs, Thursday, in Game 2 of their best-of-three NL Wild Card series at Wrigley Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 2:08 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Marlins-Cubs Game 2 betting odds and lines, with MLB picks and best bets.
Series: Miami leads 1-0.
Marlins at Cubs: Projected starting pitchers
RHP Sixto Sanchez vs. RHP Yu Darvish
Sanchez: 3-2 with a 3.46 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 7.6 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 39 IP over 7 starts.
- Last start (Sept. 23): No-decision with 3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 K and 4 BB in a 9-4 Marlins loss at the Atlanta Braves.
- This is Sanchez’s rookie season and his first playoff appearance and first start against the Cubs.
- 2020 road splits: 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 12 K and 5 BB in 14 IP across 3 starts.
Darvish: 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 11.0 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 in 76 IP over 12 starts.
- Last start (Sept. 25): Win, 10-0, with 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 5 K and 1 BB at the Chicago White Sox.
- Career in the postseason: 2-4 with a 5.81 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 8.5 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 in 26 1/3 IP across 6 starts.
- 2020 home splits: 5-3 with a 2.57 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 76 K and 10 BB in 56 IP over 9 starts.
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Marlins at Cubs: Key injuries
(Get the latest injury news here.)
Marlins
- C Francisco Cervelli (concussion) out
- 2B Isan Diaz (groin) out
- 2B Logan Forsythe (oblique) out
- OF Starling Marte (finger) questionable
- OF Harold Ramirez (hamstring) out
Marlins at Cubs: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 10:30 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Cubs 4, Marlins 1
Money line (ML)
The Marlins (+175) stole Game 1, 5-1, Wednesday with a five-run 7th-inning rally featuring home runs by DH Jesús Aguilar and OF Corey Dickerson.
The CUBS (-200) are fortunate they can send out their ace—Yu Darvish—at home to save their season but are a little unlucky this is only a best-of-three series at a fan-less Wrigley Field.
Though abbreviated, 2020 was Darvish’s best season. Darvish had his lowest ERA, walked the fewest hitters per nine innings, allowed the fewest home runs per nine and even his fastball is averaging a career-high 95.5 mph.
It’s an awfully square angle but how can you not TAKE THE CUBS (-200)? It’s a crazy price tag that I’d only consider in the playoffs and would prefer to include this in a parlay.
New to sports betting? A $50 bet on the Cubs (-200) returns a $25 profit of Chicago beats Miami.
Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
Value be damned, I am PASSING ON THE RUN LINE. The Cubs lineup has the big names and is expensive but they aren’t producing squat this year. As my father would say, “you can wish in one hand and poop in the other and see which fills up first.”
That’s how it feels with Chicago’s lineup right now.
- Cubs -1.5 (+110)
- Marlins +1.5 (-134)
Over/Under (O/U)
The weather forecast for Game 2 is showing we could have some windy, wet conditions. The forecast says wind will be blowing from left to right and not out to centerfield.
If the weather is going to play a role, I don’t think that helps hitters. Also, the Under is 7-1-1 in the Cubs’ last nine games as a home favorite and 5-2 in the last seven Marlins-Cubs games.
I LIKE UNDER 6.5 (+100).
New to sports betting? A $100 bet on the Under 6.5 (+100) pays a $100 profit if the Marlins and Cubs combine to score 6 or fewer runs.
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