In this article we will formulate a Chicago Cubs vs Philadelphia Phillies prediction for this MLB game on Wednesday, July 3rd at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Let’s take a look at the prediction for game two in the series.
Cubs Continue to Struggle
The Chicago Cubs are 39-47 this season and they have lost three of their last four games. Chicago lost the first game in this series and they allowed six runs on Tuesday night. Prior to this series, the Cubs lost two out of three against the Brewers, lost three out of four against the Giants, and lost two out of three against the Mets. Chicago is 2-7 in their last nine games and they are last in the NL Central.
The Chicago pitching staff has a 4.00 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, and a .240 opponent batting average. The Cubs offense has scored 351 runs with a .227 batting average and a .310 on base percentage. Christopher Morel is batting .195 with 15 home runs and 45 RBI’s for the Cubs this season. Chicago has allowed at least five runs in five of their last nine games.
Phillies Play Great on the Road
The Philadelphia Phillies are 56-29 this year and they have won three of their last four games. Philadelphia won game one in this series by a score of 6-4 on Tuesday night. Prior to this series, the Phillies split four games with the Marlins, won two out of three against the Tigers, and won two out of three against the Diamondbacks. Philadelphia is 7-3 in their last 10 games and they have a large lead in the NL East.
The Philadelphia pitching staff has a 3.09 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and a .224 opponent batting average. The Phillies offense has scored 426 runs with a .259 batting average and a .333 on base percentage. Nick Castellanos is batting .232 with 11 home runs and 42 RBI’s for the Phillies this season. Philadelphia has scored at least six runs in five of their last ten games.
Starting Pitchers
The projected starting pitcher for Philadelphia is Zack Wheeler, who is 9-4 with a 2.73 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP over 105.2 innings pitched this year. Wheeler has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. The projected starting pitcher for Chicago is Shota Imanaga, who is 7-2 with a 3.07 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP over 85.0 innings pitched this year. Imanaga has been solid for most of the season, but he has allowed 13 earned runs in his last two starts.
Why the Phillies will beat the Cubs
- The Phillies have won each of their last six games against the Cubs.
- The Cubs have lost each of their last six night games against National League opponents.
- The road team has covered the run line in each of the last five games between the Phillies and Cubs.
- The Cubs have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight home games against the Phillies following a loss.
- The Cubs have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last five night games at Wrigley Field against NL East opponents.
- The Phillies have led after 3 innings in each of their last five night games against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
- The Phillies have won the first inning in each of their last five Wednesday road games against National League opponents.
Total Runs Facts
- Each of the Cubs’ last six night games as underdogs have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- Each of the Phillies’ last four games as favorites against NL Central opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Cubs’ last 13 night games.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Phillies’ last four games against NL Central opponents.
Chicago Cubs Player Prop Facts
- Dansby Swanson has recorded a Double in three of the Cubs’ last four games as home underdogs against NL East opponents.
- Seiya Suzuki has hit a home run in each of the Cubs’ last three night games.
- Seiya Suzuki has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Cubs’ last three night games.
- Dansby Swanson has scored at least one run in each of his last 10 appearances with the Cubs as home underdogs.
- Cody Bellinger has recorded at least one Single in each of his last seven appearances against the Phillies.
- Shota Imanaga has recorded six or more strikeouts in five of his last six appearances in night games.
- Dansby Swanson has recorded at least one total base in each of his last seven appearances with the Cubs as home underdogs.
- Cody Bellinger has recorded at least one hit in each of his last nine appearances against the Phillies.
Philadelphia Phillies Player Prop Facts
- Zack Wheeler has recorded a win in nine of his last 12 appearances with the Phillies as favorites.
- Trea Turner has recorded at least one Single in each of his last six road appearances against NL opponents.
- Trea Turner has scored at least one run in eight of his last nine road appearances against the Cubs after playing the previous day.
- Zack Wheeler has recorded eight or more strikeouts in three of his last four road appearances against NL Central opponents.
- Bryce Harper has hit a home run in two of the Phillies’ last three games as road favorites.
- Bryce Harper has recorded at least one Double in seven of his last eight appearances in night games against teams that held a losing record.
- Bryce Harper has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 14 appearances with the Phillies as favorites.
- Bryce Harper has recorded at least one total base in each of his last 14 appearances with the Phillies as favorites.
- Bryce Harper has recorded at least one RBI in each of his last three appearances in night games against teams that held a losing record.
Chicago Cubs vs Philadelphia Phillies Prediction
Philadelphia is currently running away in the NL East standings and they have been fantastic with their hitting and pitching so far this season. The Phillies are 23-15 on the road and they are starting Wheeler, who has a WHIP below one. Chicago is 22-19 at home this year, but they have not played well over the last two months. The Cubs have dropped all the way to last in the NL Central standings and Imanaga has really struggled in his last two starts. I know a lot of Imanaga’s numbers are skewed from allowing ten earned runs two starts ago, but he didn’t really have a great bounce back against the Giants last time out. My Chicago Cubs vs Philadelphia Phillies prediction is for the Phillies to win again.