Chicago Cubs (17-24) vs. Cincinnati Reds (12-29)
May 25, 2022 6:40 pm EDT
The Line: Cincinnati Reds -132 / Chicago Cubs +100; Over/Under: -8.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds meet Wednesday in MLB action from Great American Ball Park. This will be the third installment in a four-game series. The Cubs took a three-run win in the Monday opener. On Tuesday, Chicago kept it going with a blowout victory. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Chicago scored four runs in the fourth inning on Monday, eventually pulling off a 7-4 victory. In the Tuesday game, the Cubs scored five runs in the fifth on the way to an 11-4 win. Marcus Stroman managed 5.0 innings in the start with two earned on four hits and two walks.
For the starter gig in the Wednesday matchup, the Cubs will go with Kyle Hendricks. In his nine starts so far this year Hendricks is 2-4 with a 4.89 ERA. Across his 49.2 innings of work Hendricks has 49 hits, 27 earned, 17 walks and 35 Ks.
Over on the Reds’ side, they showed some life with three runs in the sixth on Monday but couldn’t complete the comeback. In the Tuesday game, Cincinnati had eight team hits (and gave up 15) in the loss. Starter Tyler Mahle coughed up eight earned on nine hits and three walks in 4.0 innings.
Luis Castillo will take the mound for the Reds on Wednesday. This year Castillo is 0-2 with a 4.60 ERA in three starts. He’s got 15.2 innings with eight earned, 14 hits, four walks and 12 Ks.
The Cubs are 37-18 in their last 55 versus a team with a winning percentage below .400 and 12-40 in their last 52 versus a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15. The over is 3-1-1 in Chicago’s last five Wednesday games.
Meanwhile, the Reds are 17-35 in their last 52 overall and 1-7 in their last eight Wednesday games. The over is 21-8-1 in Cincinnati’s last 30 at home.
PICK: I’m probably staying with the Cubs here. Hendricks needs a good bounce-back start, though. In his last outing Hendricks posted seven earned in 5.0 innings on eight hits and two walks in a loss to Arizona. Prior to that he had just one earned in 14.1 innings over two starts, though. As for Castillo, he hasn’t been great in his three starts but he hasn’t been horrible either. I like Castillo to flirt with a quality outing in this one as Hendricks wins the starter battle.
