Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks: Odds, Preview, & Prediction | Friday, May 13th
Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks Preview: Cubs pick up a road win
The Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks will kick off their three-game series tonight in Arizona. The Cubs have lost six out of their last eight games and have struggled to produce offensively. The Diamondbacks have seen the opposite luck as of late, winning seven out of their last 10 games. This is an interesting matchup. the Diamondbacks pitch very well and cannot hit. The Cubs, on the other hand, have struggled pitching but are producing some decent offensive numbers. In a matchup of contrasting styles, we're leaning toward the offense.
Below, you will find a brief preview of each team followed by a prediction for the game.
Chicago Cubs Preview:
#Cubs win 2 out of 3 in San Diego! https://t.co/OnlWsxihhw
"Cubs win 2 out of 3 in San Diego!" - @ Chicago Cubs
Although the Cubs have struggled as of late, it is important to look at the competition they were up against. Their last three series were against the Chicago White Sox, LA Dodgers, and San Diego Padres, who are all very talented ballclubs. The Cubs will look to Seiya Suzuki and Wilson Contreras to lead the way in tonight's ballgame. Chicago's pitching ranks toward the bottom of the MLB in team pitching, which has been their biggest issue to date. Tonight, the Cubs will send their Opening Day starter Drew Smyly to the mound in the first game of the series. Smyly is in a perfect spot tonight to bounce back against the MLB's worst statistical offense. The Chicago Cubs' key to victory tonight is to get a quality start out of Drew Smyly and produce when they get runners into scoring position.
Arizona Diamondbacks Preview:
Final. https://t.co/B7inSkXmWa
"Final." - @ Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks have exceeded expectations thus far, as they sit at 17-15 on the season. This is even more impressive given that their offense has been absolutely terrible. As a team, the Diamondbacks rank last in the MLB, hitting .199 and have struggled to consistently score runs. The Diamondbacks will start Zach Davies tonight against his old team. Davies' last two starts have been very effective after struggling in his first four outings. Through six starts, he has accumulated a 1-1 record with a 3.34 ERA. The major key to victory for the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight is to find a way to get better on offense. Chicago has a good offense, but their pitching has let them down during their recent skid. To beat the Cubs tonight, the Diamondbacks will need to rely on more than just their pitching.
Pick/Prediction: Chicago Cubs ML (+105)
This is a spot where the Cubs' value is too good to pass up. The Diamondbacks have been taking advantage of playing lesser competition as of late, and the Cubs have gotten the short end of the stick by playing the Dodgers and Padres in back-to-back series. We're going with the Cubs to win the first game of the series at plus money. Let's go Cubbies!