Chicago Cubs (18-19) vs. Minnesota Twins (21-17)
May 12, 2023 8:10 pm EDT
The Line: Minnesota Twins -147 / Chicago Cubs +115; Over/Under: +8
(Get latest betting odds)
The Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins meet Friday in MLB action at Target Field. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.
The Chicago Cubs have scored 15 runs in their last 3 games and 4 or more runs in 5 of their last 6 games. The Cubs have won 6 of their last 9 games when scoring 4 or more runs. Nico Hoerner leads the Cubs with 46 hits and 19 RBI, while Dansby Swanson and Ian Happ have combined for 80 hits and 33 RBI. Drew Smyly gets the ball, and he is 3-1 with a 3.05 ERA and 34 strikeouts this season. Smyly is 2-1 with a 3.03 ERA and 32 strikeouts in his career against the Twins.
The Minnesota Twins have scored 10 runs in their last 3 games and 4 or more runs in 5 of their last 10 games. The Twins have won 8 of their last 10 games when scoring 4 or more runs. Jose Miranda leads the Twins with 29 hits and 13 RBI, while Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa have combined for 53 hits and 37 RBI. Sonny Gray gets the ball, and he is 4-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 47 strikeouts this season. Gray is 4-3 with a 3.11 ERA and 70 strikeouts in his career against the Cubs.
The Cubs are 1-6 in their last 7 road games and 4-9 in their last 13 overall. The Twins are 8-3 in their last 11 home games and 5-1 in their last 6 Friday games. The under is 12-4 in Cubs last 16 overall. The under is 6-0 in Twins last 6 overall. The Cubs are 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Minnesota.
The Cubs are having issues finishing games, so while Drew Smyly is off to a strong start, it’s hard to trust them, especially on the road. Speaking of strong starts, Sonny Gray is putting together an all star season with a 1.35 ERA and 1.10 WHIP through 40 innings. Through 25 innings at home, Gray has a 0.72 ERA and .172 allowed batting average. I’m not stepping in front of that. Give me the Twins.
