The Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants meet Thursday in MLB action from Oracle Park. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a San Francisco Giants vs Chicago Cubs Prediction.
Starting Pitching Matchup
The Chicago Cubs will send out Shota Imanaga and Imanaga is 7-2 with a 2.96 ERA and 81 strikeouts this season. This will be Imanaga’s first career start against the Giants. The San Francisco Giants will start Jordan Hicks here and Hicks is 4-4 with a 3.24 ERA and 69 strikeouts this season. This will be Hicks’ second career start against the Cubs.
Chicago Cubs Recap
The Chicago Cubs come into this one looking to avoid the sweep after their 4-3 loss in Wednesday’s matchup. The Cubs’ series loss is their second straight after a series loss to the Mets last weekend. The Cubs will face the Brewers and Phillies following this series.
Cubs Struggling To Find Their Footing
Cody Bellinger leads the Cubs with 72 hits including 13 doubles, 9 home runs and 34 RBIs. Nico Hoerner has 64 hits, 14 doubles and a .242 batting average while Christopher Morel has a team-high 15 home runs and 45 RBIs. Michael Busch has 9 homers with 28 RBIs but has 88 strikeouts as well this season. Ian Happ also has a team-high 17 doubles with 9 home runs and 40 RBIs but also has 86 strikeouts this season.
Why the Chicago Cubs will win
- The Giants have lost four of their last five day games against National League opponents.
- The Cubs have won each of their last three day games against NL West opponents following a loss.
- The Giants have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight games as home underdogs following a win.
- The Cubs have covered the run line in five of their last six road games following a road loss.
San Francisco Giants Recap
The San Francisco Giants come into this game looking to complete the four-game sweep of the Cubs after Wednesday’s victory. The win gave the Giants the series win to bounce back from series losses to the Cardinals and Cubs over the last week and a half with an important division series against the rival Dodgers on deck.
Giants Heating Up In This Series
Thairo Estrada has 68 hits along with a team-high 9 home runs and 39 RBIs while also chipping in 14 doubles. Michael Conforto has 48 hits with 9 home runs, 9 doubles and 29 RBIs while Matt Chapman has 70 hits of his own alongside 20 doubles with 9 homers, 33 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. Chapman also has the dubious distinction of leading the Giants with 80 strikeouts this season.
Why the San Francisco Giants will win
- The Cubs have lost each of their last six games as road favorites against NL West opponents.
- The Giants have won each of their last eight home games against National League opponents that held a losing record.
- The Giants have covered the run line in 19 of their last 20 games as underdogs against NL Central opponents following a win.
- The Cubs have failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven games as road favorites against NL West opponents.
San Francisco Giants vs Chicago Cubs Prediction
I’m on the Giants here. I get that it can be hard to think the Cubs could get swept in a four-game set after just taking out the Giants last week, but the Giants have been the better team by a mile in this series and the Giants also have hit lefties a lot better than they’ve hit righties this season. Imanaga’s been solid for a lot of the year, but when he gets hit hard, like he did in his last outing for 10 runs against the Mets, it takes him a start or two to find his footing again and I don’t think he’ll be able to right the ship in this spot. Give me the Giants.