The Chicago Cubs (39-30) host the Miami Marlins (29-39) Friday for the first game of their three-game series at Wrigley Field. First pitch will be at 8:05 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook‘s lines around the Marlins vs. Cubs odds with MLB picks and predictions.
Miami had an off-day Thursday but was just swept in a three-game series at the St. Louis Cardinals and has lost four straight games.
Chicago had its five-game winning streak snapped earlier this week with three straight losses against the New York Mets but prevented a four-game sweep with a 2-0 win Thursday.
Season series: 0-0.
RHP Cody Poteet makes his sixth start for the Marlins. He is 2-2 with a 3.75 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 7.9 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 through 24 IP.
- Last outing: Loss, 9-2, with 2 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 4 BB and 2 K June 4 at the Pittsburgh Pirates.
RHP Zach Davies takes the hill for the Cubs. Davies is 4-3 with a 4.01 ERA (67 1/3 IP, 30 ER), 1.47 WHIP, 4.4 BB/9 and 5.7 K/9 across 14 starts.
- Last outing: Win, 2-0, with 6 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 BB and 6 K Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals.
- vs. Marlins on the current roster: 77 at-bats with a .312/.346/.390 slash line, 9/4 K/BB, 1 HR and 8 RBIs.
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Marlins at Cubs odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 4:40 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Marlins +135 (bet $100 to win $135) | Cubs -165 (bet $165 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Marlins +1.5 (-140) | Cubs -1.5 (+115)
- Over/Under: 8.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
Prediction
Cubs 5, Marlins 2
Money line (ML)
“LEAN” to the CUBS (-165) for a half unit. Chicago’s bullpen has the second-highest WAR while the Marlins are eighth.
Davies has put it together for his past two starts, pitching 12 2/3 scoreless innings and giving up just 3 hits, 4 walks and striking out 10 batters.
Furthermore, the Cubs are first in the NL Central and were playing like one of the best teams in the league before running into an even hotter Mets team earlier this week. Chicago is 20-10 over the past 30 games.
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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
There were no odds listed at the time of writing.
Over/Under (O/U)
“LEAN” to the UNDER 8.5 (-105) because both bullpens are top-tier units, Davies has been on-point lately and the Cubs’ recent hot streak is due to their pitching, not their hitting.
Over the last 30 days, Chicago’s lineup is a bottom-10 unit in WAR, wRC+ and wOBA, but the pitching staff has the best WAR and second-best FIP over that time span.
Additionally, both the Marlins and the Cubs played to the Under in four of their last five games.
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