The Chicago Cubs (41-59) and San Francisco Giants (50-51) tangle in a Sunday night affair on ESPN at Oracle Park. Game 4 of the Cubs-Giants series is slated to begin at 7 p.m. ET.
Season series: San Francisco leads 2-1
Chicago pitching has been on a roll of late. The Cubs have registered a 1.77 ERA while going 6-2 so far in the 2nd half. Both losses over that stretch have been in close games.
The Giants have struggled offensively in going 2-8 in their last 10 games. San Francisco owns a mere .613 OPS in those 10 games.
Cubs at Giants projected starters
RHP Adrian Sampson vs. LHP Carlos Rodon
Sampson (0-1, 3.20 ERA) has appeared in 8 games (6 as a starter). He has posted a 1.17 WHIP, 2.1 BB/9 and 6.0 K/9 in 39 1/3 IP.
- Has done well to limit hard contact (22.8%) overall and has not allowed a HR in his last 2 starts.
- Facing a left-leaning S.F. lineup. Has thus far held lefty bats in check this season (.617 OPS allowed).
Rodon (8-6, 3.18 ERA) has authored a 1.12 WHIP, 3.0 BB/9 and 11.5 K/9 through 116 IP in 20 starts.
- Owns a 1.57 ERA, 0.93 WHIP in his last 3 starts at home. For the season, has logged a 2.05 ERA across 44 home innings.
- Has held right-handed batters to an OPS under-.600 over the last 2 seasons.
Cubs at Giants odds and lines
- Money line: Cubs +155 (bet $100 to win $155) | Giants -190 (bet $190 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Cubs +1.5 (-135) | Giants -1.5 (+110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 7.5 (O: -107 | U: -115)
Cubs at Giants picks and predictions
Prediction
Giants 4, Cubs 2
Money line
The Giants’ 12-19 record in 1-run games somewhat unfairly colors bettors’ current opinions of a club that has underplayed its 4.62 runs per game and 4.36 RPG allowed.
PASS on the current tag, But a Giants play closer to -180 makes sense.
Run line/Against the spread
TAKE SAN FRANCISCO -1.5 (+110).
Expect a bounce-back from Rodon, who has struggled in 2 second-half starts after going into the break on a hot streak.
Over/Under
Both clubs have some Under lean in their overall runs-versus-expected runs figures. But peg Sampson as being overrated in the Chicago starter’s slot and the S.F. bullpen being in need of a day off.
PASS.
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