Minnesota Twins (65-85) vs. Chicago Cubs (67-83)
September 21, 2021 7:40 pm EDT
The Line: Chicago Cubs -120 / Minnesota Twins -111; Over/Under: -
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The Minnesota Twins and the Chicago Cubs meet Tuesday in MLB action from Wrigley Field. The Twins are coming off a weekend series versus the Blue Jays. Minnesota won Friday but lost the other two in that set. As for the Cubs, they played the Brewers over the weekend. Chicago lost two of three in that series. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Minnesota managed a 7-3 win over the Blue Jays on Friday, but couldn’t win the series thanks to defeats 6-2 Saturday and 5-3 on Sunday. In the finale, Twins pitcher Luke Farrell went just 1.0 innings with five earned on seven hits.
For the starter job in the Tuesday opener, the Twins will send out Griffin Jax. Over 69.0 innings this year Jax has 71 hits, 55 runs (51 earned), 19 homers allowed, 25 walks, 54 Ks and a 6.65 ERA.
Over on the Cubs’ side, they lost to the Brewers 8-5 on Friday and 6-4 in the Saturday game but stopped the sweep with a 6-4 Sunday win. Chicago pitcher Adrian Sampson did the bulk of the finale work with 4.0 innings, four hits, two earned and one walk.
Starting pitcher on Tuesday will be the Cubs’ Alec Mills. Over 106.0 innings this year Mills has 120 hits, 60 runs (53 earned), 13 homers allowed, 28 walks, 78 Ks and a 4.50 ERA.
The Twins are 2-5 in their last seven in game one of a series and 2-6 in their last eight after an off day. Minnesota is 2-7 in their last nine versus a team with a losing record and 1-4 in their last five road games.
Meanwhile, the Cubs are 3-8 in their last 11 interleague games and 1-4 in their last five overall. Chicago is 1-4 in their last five at home and 3-8 in their last 11 versus the AL Central.
PICK: I’m going to stick with the Cubs. Mills has one good outing in his last three (one earned; 6.0 innings) and a couple of duds (nine earned; 10.1 innings combined). He’s been pretty choppy over his last five outings or so. That said, Jax has given up three or more earned in each of his last five starts, and hasn’t gone past 4.2 innings in two of his last three. I think Mills will win the starter battle here and put Chicago in a good spot.
