Wrigley Field will be rocking when the hometown Cubs take on the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates in a rare, nationally televised night game live on ESPN. Chicago has separated themselves from the rest of their division and currently own a 10-game lead over the Cardinals in the National League Central.
ODDS ANALYSIS/INFO
The Pittsburgh Pirates are 33-31 on the year, 15-16 on the road and 12-14 versus NL Central competition.
The Chicago Cubs have the best record in baseball at 44-19. They also are tough at home going 22-8. They also own National League Central foes with an impressive 18-6 mark.
These teams have met six times this year with the Cubs winning five of them, including a 3-game sweep in Pittsburgh earlier in the year.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Jameson Taillon (1-0, 1.93) was almost unhittable in his second major league start. The touted rookie took a no-hitter into the seventh inning to shut down the Mets and pitch the Pirates to a must needed win and stop their five-game losing streak. Taillon was recalled from the minors before the game when the Pirates put their ace Gerrit Cole on the disabled list with a strained right biceps. He did not disappoint, out dueling All Star Jason DeGrom in a rematch against the Mets. Taillon made his long-awaited big league debut last Wednesday in Pittsburgh against the Mets, allowing three runs and six hits over six innings. He improved immensely in his second start and proved why he was the second overall pick in the 2010 draft.
The Chicago Cubs will send Kyle Hendricks (4-6, 3.05) to the mound to face the Pirates. He lost his last decision on Monday to the Nationals where he gave up four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. It was the first time in six starts he allowed more than five hits. Hendricks has been one of the few under achievers on the Cubs this year as seven of their 19 losses have come when he pitches. Walks have killed the right-hander and he will have to improve in that category if he wants to get back in the win column against a potent Pirates offensive attack.
SPOTLIGHT PLAYERS
Kris Bryant
This kid is a stud! Although his numbers are mostly the same from his rookie year, Bryant's strikeout rate is down over eight percent and over the course of 162 games, that will help his batting average rise because he will not be as prone to long slumps like he was last season when he led the NL in strikeouts. He's not hitting as many fly balls and not striking out as much. Bryant will hit over 30 homers this year, drive in close to 100 runs and may even score 100 runs.
Rookie pitcher Jameson Taillon was highly touted out of high school and the second pick behind Bryce Harper in the 2010 amateur draft, He took off two years to rehab from Tommy John surgery and now seems to be the pitcher that the Pirates had hoped he would be back in 2010. The Pirates needed something to turn around their season after losing five straight games and the young 24-year old right-hander responded and could be the spark that the Pirates so desperately need. ''It's a big shot in the arm,'' Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. ''Very impressive outing.''
THE PICK
The Chicago Cubs are a pain in the butt for bookmakers so far in 2016, covering the money line at an outstanding rate and wreaking havoc on competition that is clearly no match for the powerful squad that the Cubs possess. They will once again be the betting favorite when they square off against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday Night’s ESPN showdown, but rookie Jameson Taillon has been sensational in his first two starts and will come up big again as he guides the Pirates to an upset win against the Cubs. Pirates win!
MLB ODDS: Pittsburgh Pirates 6, Chicago Cubs 3
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