Rockies vs Cubs NL Wild Card Game Odds & Prediction
- The Rockies and Cubs will try to redeem themselves on Tuesday after losing their respective play-in games
- Can Colorado’s bats wake up after being silenced by Walker Buehler?
- Do the Cubs still have some fight in them after going down meekly to the Brewers?
The Rockies 91-72 (44-38 Away) and Cubs 95-68 (51-31 Home) will be playing for their postseason lives on Tuesday, October 2nd when they face off at Wrigley Field in the winner-take-all NL Wild Card Game.
Both teams find themselves in their current predicament after losing their respective play-in games on Monday afternoon. The Rockies were silenced 5-2 by the Dodgers, while the Cubs fell 3-1 to the red hot Brewers.
This isn’t where either team wants to be after leading their respective divisions for much of the season, and you can count on them coming out with both guns blazing when the game gets underway at 5:00 p.m. ET.
Below, find the opening odds, key statistics and betting trends, weather forecast, and score prediction for the 2018 NL Wild Card Game.
NL Wild Card Game Odds
| WIN | RUNLINE | O/U RUNS |
|---|---|---|
| ROCKIES (+120) | ROCKIES +1.5 (-175) | OVER 7.0 (-115) |
| CUBS (-140) | CUBS -1.5 (+155) | UNDER 7.0 (-105) |
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Rockies vs Cubs Statistical Comparison
| 91-72 (44-38 Away) | RECORD | 95-68 (51-31 Home) |
| +35 | RUN DIFFERENTIAL | +116 |
| LHP Kyle Freeland: 17-7, 2.85 ERA, 1.25 WHIP | STARTER | LHP Jon Lester: 18-6, 3.32 ERA, 1.31 WHIP |
| .158 BA, .475 OPS (in 38 at-bats) | LINEUP VS OPPONENT STARTER | .272 BA, .767 OPS (in 114 at-bats) |
| 4.63 ERA (26th in MLB) | BULLPEN ERA | 3.34 ERA (2nd in MLB) |
| .758 (6th in MLB) | TEAM OPS | .745 (10th in MLB) |
| 3-3 (2-1 Away) | 2018 HEAD-TO-HEAD | 3-3 (1-2 Home) |
| 210 (8th in MLB) | TEAM HOME RUNS | 167 (22nd in MLB) |
The Cubs could be in for a rocky time today when they face Colorado ace Kyle Freeland. The hard-throwing lefty went 17-7 with a minuscule 2.85 ERA in just his second season in the league. Freeland faced the Cubs once before this season on April 30th, picking up the loss after surrendering three earned runs in seven innings.
Lester is 9-7 with a 2.55 ERA in 25 playoff appearances, and was the 2016 NLCS MVP.
Freeland will be facing a legendary postseason performer in Jon Lester. The 34-year-old southpaw is 9-7 with a 2.55 ERA in 25 playoff appearances, and was the 2016 NLCS MVP after shutting down the Dodgers in a pair of dominant outings. Lester has been especially locked in lately, giving up just five runs over his last five starts.
Should Lester falter, Cole Hamels will be available out of the pen. The former World Series MVP last started on Saturday against the Cardinals and has a 3.48 ERA in 16 postseason appearances.
Rockies and Cubs Betting Results
| ROCKIES | TREND | CUBS |
|---|---|---|
| Lost 1 | WIN/LOSS STREAK | Lost 1 |
| 8-2 | LAST 10 | 6-4 |
| 86-77 | RUNLINE RECORD | 81-82 |
| 68-86-8 | OVER/UNDER SPLIT | 73-88-2 |
| Push 1 | OVER/UNDER STREAK | Under 1 |
The Dodgers shut down the Rockies 5-2 on Monday afternoon thanks to a dazzling performance from Walker Buehler. The 24-year-old right-hander limited Colorado to one hit over 6.2 innings and continually baffled batters with his sneaky good slider and hard changeup. Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy supplied the heroics at the plate, launching a pair of two-run shots in the fourth and fifth innings.
The Brewers slipped past the Cubs 3-1 in the other National League tie-breaker. Jhoulys Chacin gave up just one hit over 5.2 innings, and Josh Hader pitched two strong innings in relief to pick up his 12th save of the season. Anthony Rizzo gave Chicago a chance with a solo shot in the fifth, but the Cubs eked out just two more hits overall.
Weather Forecast at Opening Pitch
| TEMPERATURE | 60.9° |
| HUMIDITY | 85% |
| WIND SPEED | E 4 mph |
| P.O.P. | 15% |
Rockies vs Cubs Score Prediction
| ROCKIES | 2 |
| CUBS | 3 |
Expect a low-scoring pitcher’s duel with Freeland and Lester going deep into the game. Both hurlers have been exceptional in 2018, but we’re giving the nod to Lester, who was 4-1 in September and gave up just five earned runs in 29.2 innings. He has momentum, experience, and home field advantage on his side, and will lead the Cubs back to the NLDS for the fourth consecutive season.
Ryan worked as an Editor and resident Lead NBA and MLB Writer for SB from 2017-19. He has authored his own weekly columns for Fox Sports and AskMen, and has created successful campaigns for the WWE, the NHL, and the NFL. Ryan's critically acclaimed stories have been published in 20 books.
