Pirates vs Cubs Odds, Picks, and Lines (Sep. 4)

• The Chicago Cubs are -130 favorites over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday (September 4th, 2:20 pm ET)
• Chicago will give the ball to Kyle  Hendricks (14-6, 4.43 ERA), while Pittsburgh still hasn’t named a starter
• Read below for odds, analysis and a betting prediction

Two teams just playing out the stretch square off again on Saturday (September 4th), but just because the stakes aren’t high for the Pirates or Cubs, doesn’t mean the game isn’t worthy of a wager.

The division rivals occupy the bottom-two spots in the NL Central standings, but Chicago has actually been playing some decent baseball as of late.

Pirates vs Cubs Odds

Odds as of Sept. 3rd at DraftKings.

The Cubs  have won four straight, including two in a row against Pittsburgh, and opened as a -130 moneyline favorites.

First pitch is scheduled for 2:20 pm ET at Wrigley Field, with light rain and 14 mph winds currently in the forecast.

Probable Pitchers

Kyle Hendricks will take the mound for Chicago, while the Pirates still haven’t named a starter as of late Friday night.

With 14 wins in 2021, Hendricks is on pace for the most victories of his career, but his stats are average at best. The 31-year-old averages just 87 mph with his fastball, and boasts a minuscule 17.4% strikeout rate. Opposing batters are hitting .281 off him, and while he found loads of success early this season, his results have been poor lately.

Kyle Hendricks 2021 Stats

He’s allowed at least four runs in three of his past four starts, and was absolutely rocked in his last outing. Facing the White Sox, he surrendered eight runs and seven hits over 4.2 innings, and was taken deep three times.

Luis Robert demolished that one!#ChangeTheGame | @NBCSChicago pic.twitter.com/H4hyAzZHor

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 29, 2021

Hendricks’ August ERA was over two and half times higher than any of his previous three months, and he hasn’t exactly fared well against the light-hitting Pirates.

Pittsburgh ranks last in MLB in runs by a sizeable margin, while also boasting the lowest slugging percentage and OPS. Despite their 2021 struggles, they’ve still touched up Hendricks for 19 hits and 12 runs over 15 innings, beating him in two of his three starts against them.

Batting Average vs Starting Pitchers

As mentioned, the Pirates starter is still unknown, but whoever it is will have to deal with a red-hot Cubs lineup. Chicago has scored at least six runs in six of its past 10 games, including the first two games of this series.

They average half a run more at Wrigley Field than on the road, and boast a higher OBP, slugging percentage and OPS at home.

Pittsburgh owns the third worst team ERA in MLB, while only three other bullpens boast a higher xFIP than the Pirates relievers.

Pirates vs Cubs Pick

This contest feels like a serious over candidate, but with the total currently off the board, we’ll focus on the moneyline instead.

Both teams may be out of playoff contention, but the Cubs are playing far more inspired than Pittsburgh. The Pirates have lost four straight, and six of seven, and no matter who they throw at Chicago, the Cubs’ bats are likely to find success.

The same could be said for Pittsburgh’s lineup versus Hendricks, but he’s at least flashed solid form this season. Hendricks won 11 straight decisions at one point, including his last matchup against the Pirates.

Pittsburgh has scored three or fewer runs in 11 of its past 19 contests, and even if they do get to Hendricks early, Chicago’s bullpen is capable of neutralizing them. Cubs relievers rank third in K/9 rate, and have held Pirates hitters to one earned run over 12.2 innings through two games of this series.

Pick: Chicago Cubs Moneyline (-130)