The San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs meet Monday in MLB action from Wrigley Field. Here’s a Chicago Cubs vs San Francisco Giants prediction. This will be the first installment in a three-game series. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for the game.
San Francisco Giants Betting Preview
Over the weekend the Giants played the Los Angeles Angels. San Francisco lost the first two games of that set 8-6 and 4-3. In the Sunday finale the Giants rolled to a blowout win 13-6. Spencer Bivens did most of the pitching work with 3.0 innings, one earned, one hit and no walks.
As starter for the Monday game the Giants will send out Jordan Hicks. So far Hicks is 4-3 with a 3.01 ERA and 64 Ks in 71.2 innings over 14 starts. In his career Hicks is 15-24 with a 3.66 ERA over 226 outings (22 starts).
Chicago Cubs Betting Preview
Over on the Cubs’ side, they played the rival St. Louis Cardinals in their weekend set. Chicago split the first pair 3-0 (loss) and 5-1 (win). In the rubber match finale, the Cubs took a tough 2-1 loss. Starting pitcher Jameson Taillon lasted 6.0 innings with both earned runs on seven hits and two walks.
In the starter slot Monday the Cubs are sending out Javier Assad. This year so far over 14 starts Assad is 4-2 with a 2.81 ERA and 72 Ks in 73.2 innings. Assad is 11-7 with a 2.98 career ERA in 55 games (32 starts).
Giants vs Cubs Injury Notes
Cubs SP Jordan Wicks was diagnosed with a Grade 2 oblique strain over the weekend. Both RP Julian Merryweather (ribs) and SP Caleb Kilian (shoulder) threw bullpen sessions Friday.
Total Runs Facts
- Each of the Cubs’ last nine games have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- Each of the Giants’ last four games against NL Central opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Cubs’ last 12 home games against National League opponents.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Giants’ last six night games.
Chicago Cubs Player Prop Facts
- Seiya Suzuki has hit a home run in three of the Cubs’ last four home games against the Giants.
- Seiya Suzuki has scored at least one run in each of his last eight home appearances against NL West opponents that held a losing record.
- Seiya Suzuki has recorded a Double in each of his last four appearances against the Giants after playing the previous day.
- Cody Bellinger has recorded at least one total base in each of his last 20 Monday appearances.
- Seiya Suzuki has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Cubs’ last four games against the Giants at Wrigley Field.
- Cody Bellinger has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 20 Monday appearances.
- Seiya Suzuki has recorded at least one Single in each of his last seven home appearances against NL West opponents that held a losing record.
San Francisco Giants Player Prop Facts
- Matt Chapman has recorded a Double in three of the Giants’ last four road games against NL opponents.
- Jung Hoo Lee has recorded at least one total base in each of his last nine road appearances against NL opponents.
- Thairo Estrada has scored at least one run in each of his last seven road appearances against NL Central opponents that held a losing record.
- Matt Chapman has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Giants’ last five games against NL Central opponents.
- Jung Hoo Lee has recorded at least one hit in each of his last nine road appearances against NL opponents.
- Michael Conforto has recorded at least one Single in each of his last six appearances against NL Central opponents that held a losing record.
- Matt Chapman has hit a home run in four of the Giants’ last five games against NL Central opponents.
Chicago Cubs vs San Francisco Giants Prediction
I’ll go with Chicago. Assad needs to have a good start, though. On June 6 versus Cincinnati, Assad had a rough time in a loss with five earned in 5.2 innings on seven hits and two walks. In the other two of his last three outings however, Assad has done better with four earned in 10.0 combined innings. A quality start would go a long way here.
On Sunday the Cubs had a good pitching outing, giving up nine hits but minimizing the damage to one bad inning. On the other side Chicago could only muster five hits, with two of those coming from Ian Happ (run; walk). So long as the Cubs can get the bats going—and if Assad has a decent day—I think they’ll be okay Monday.