Cubs vs Pirates Odds, Lines, Picks (April 13)
By Chris Amberley in MLB Baseball
Published:
- The Cubs vs Pirates odds favor Chicago as -125 moneyline favorites on Wednesday (April 13, 12:35pm ET)
- Chicago will give the ball to Kyle Hendricks (0-0, 1.69 ERA), while Pittsburgh will counter with Zach Thompson (2021 stats: 3-7, 3.24 ERA)
- Read below for the Cubs vs Pirates odds, analysis and betting prediction
Fresh off their third win in four games to start the season, the Chicago Cubs will have the brooms out on Wednesday (April 13) looking to sweep the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubs took game 1 of this two game set on Tuesday afternoon, and another matinee is in store for the series finale in Pittsburgh.
Cubs vs Pirates Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Cubs | -125 | -1.5 (+130) | O 8.5 (-105) |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | +105 | +1.5 (-150) | U 8.5 (-115) |
Odds as of April 12th at Caesars Sportsbook.
The Cubs opened up as -125 moneyline favorites in a contest that features a total of 8.5 runs. First pitch is scheduled for 12:35pm ET at PNC Park, with clear skies and 72 degree temperatures in the forecast.
Probable Pitchers
Chicago will give the ball to ace Kyle Hendricks, while Pittsburgh will counter with newcomer Zach Thompson. Hendricks performed well on Opening Day, holding Milwaukee to one run over 5.1 innings, while striking out seven.
You no longer need to miss baseball.
Unless you're facing Kyle Hendricks. pic.twitter.com/HpUEATNKMc
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 7, 2022
He does not however, own a strong track record against the lowly Pirates. Pittsburgh owns the NL’s worst World Series odds, but have hit Hendricks hard over the years. The Cubs righty is 7-10 lifetime versus the Pirates, struggling versus the top-six hitters in their lineup. Against those bats, he’s yielded a .283 average over 60 at-bats including four home runs.
Hendricks did post 14 victories in 2021, but recorded a career-low K/9 rate (3.0), and the worst ERA (4.77) and WHIP (1.35) of his career.
Hendricks vs Thompson Stats
| 0-0 | Record | 3-7 |
| 1.69 | ERA | 3.24 |
| 1.50 | WHIP | 1.21 |
| .250 | OBA | .227 |
| 2.3 | SO/W Ratio | 2.4 |
As for Thompson, he’ll make his first start for Pittsburgh after spending last season with Miami. The 6-7, 250 pound right-hander posted a 3-7 record with the Marlins in his rookie campaign, but did own a respectable 3.24 ERA.
Zach Thompson, Nasty Back-to-Back Curveballs. 😨 pic.twitter.com/sCXHK6bbGs
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 5, 2022
Thompson doesn’t have a ton of history with the 2022 Cubs hitters, but the ones he has faced haven’t fared particularly well. He was 0-1 in two starts against Chicago last season, yielding just one earned run over 10 innings, while limiting the Cubs to a .133 batting average.
Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Analysis
One hitter Thompson has never faced is Japanese star Seiya Suzuki. The 27-year-old joined the Cubs in the offseason signing a five-year, $85 million contract, and so far has exceeded expectations. He’s hit three home runs, including two on Tuesday, and has reached base twice and driven in a run in all four of his games so far. If he keeps this up, we’ll start seeing his name pop up in the NL MVP odds.
Seiya Suzuki joins Shohei Ohtani as the only Japanese-born players in MLB history to hit 3 HR over their 1st 4 MLB games. pic.twitter.com/tP1rWS2TFx
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 12, 2022
Suzuki isn’t the only Chicago batter on fire however, as Ian Happ is 7-for-10 to start the season. Jason Heyward is hitting .375 himself in the early going, but outside of the trio, no other Cubs regular is batting above .250.
The Pirates meanwhile, fresh off finishing last in the NL in runs scored last season, look like a candidate to wind up in the cellar again. They’ve scored two or fewer runs in three of their four contests so far, and are an abysmal 6-for-34 (.176) with runners in scoring position this year.
Cubs vs Pirates Last 10 Meetings
| Date | Away Team | Home Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/12/22 | Cubs | Pirates | CHC, 2-1 |
| 9/30/21 | Cubs | Pirates | CHC, 9-0 |
| 9/29/21 | Cubs | Pirates | CHC, 3-2 |
| 9/28/21 | Cubs | Pirates | PIT, 8-6 |
| 9/5/21 | Pirates | Cubs | CHC, 11-8 |
| 9/4/21 | Pirates | Cubs | CHC, 7-6 |
| 9/3/21 | Pirates | Cubs | CHC, 6-5 |
| 9/2/21 | Pirates | Cubs | CHC, 6-5 |
| 5/27/21 | Cubs | Pirates | CHC, 5-3 |
| 5/26/21 | Cubs | Pirates | CHC, 4-1 |
Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Pick
Pittsburgh’s dreadful offense is a primary reason why they’re an easy fade on Wednesday against Chicago, as well as in the MLB win totals.
.@EthanXXVI that's NASTY! pic.twitter.com/MipWyjrZBW
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) April 12, 2022
Dating back to last season, they’re 5-10 straight up, scoring three or fewer runs in eight of those outings. The Pirates are cautiously optimistic Thompson can provide some much needed stability at the back end of the rotation because they desperately need it.
Pittsburgh boasted a bottom-four bullpen last season, and this year Pirates relievers already rank 24th in strand rate, 27th in K/9 rate, and 29th in xFIP. It’s shaping up to be another long season for Pittsburgh fans.
Picks: Chicago Cubs moneyline (-125), Under 8.5 (-115)
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Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
