Cubs vs Marlins prediction, odds, pick – 8/24/2024
08/24/2024 01:47 AM
It’s time to continue our MLB odds series with a Cubs-Marlins prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Cubs-Marlins.
The Chicago Cubs aren’t completely out of the National League wild card race, but let’s be honest: They have a microscopic chance. First of all, the Cubs enter this game on Saturday under .500. No team can focus on the playoffs until it can be several games above .500. There is little point in scoreboard watching when a team hasn’t even won that many games. The Cubs need to get to at least 85 wins and will probably need 87 or more to catch the Atlanta Braves or New York Mets in the National League. They will obviously hope Atlanta and New York both struggle, but the first order of business is getting hot. The second is to stay hot. The Cubs have to sweep this series against the lowly Marlins if they want to build any level of momentum heading into September. It’s that simple.
Cubs-Marlins Projected Starters
Shota Imanaga vs. Vallente Bellozo
Shota Imanaga (9-3) has a 3.11 ERA. You can blame a lot of people for the Cubs’ struggles and failures this year, but not this guy. Shota Imanaga has been the real deal in his first MLB season. Getting movement and location on his fastball enables Imanaga to pitch effectively without maximum velocity. He doesn’t throw many straight pitches, and his sequencing isn’t predictable. His placement is precise. Imanaga shows that pitching involves a lot more than velocity. Other pitchers should take note.
Last Start: Sunday, August 18 vs the Toronto Blue Jays: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 BB, 6 K
2024 Road Splits: 10 starts, 57 1/3 IP, 57 H, 24 R, 7 HR, 13 BB, 49 K
Vallente Bellozo (2-1) has a 2.45 ERA. Bellozo hasn’t made many starts, but in his small sample size, he has been good. He has pitched against teams with formidable lineups, too, going against the Mets and Phillies and holding his own instead of getting shelled. The Marlins have to be excited by what they see from Bellozo, and hope he can maintain form over the next month-plus as a springboard into 2025.
Last Start: Sunday, August 18 vs the New York Mets: 5 1/3 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 BB, 4 K
2024 Home Splits: 2 starts, 10 2/3 IP, 12 H, 5 R, 1 HR, 3 BB, 12 K
Here are the Cubs-Marlins MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Cubs-Marlins Odds
Chicago Cubs: -1.5 (+102)
Moneyline: -168
Miami Marlins: +1.5 (-122)
Moneyline: +142
Over: 7.5 (-110)
Under: 7.5 (-110)
How to Watch Cubs vs Marlins
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET/1:10 p.m. PT
TV: Marquee Sports (Cubs) / Bally Sports Florida (Marlins) / MLB Extra Innings
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Cubs Will Cover The Spread/Win
This is not complicated at all. Shota Imanaga is an elite pitcher. The Marlins are one of the worst hitting teams in baseball. The Cubs need this game to have any chance of making a late-season playoff push. They have urgency on their side. Nearly everything about this game lines up well for the Cubs covering the spread.
Why The Marlins Will Cover The Spread/Win
Vallente Bellozo is the best reason to pick the Marlins. He has pitched well. He is not very familiar because there isn’t a lot of tape on him at the big-league level. The Cubs, like the Marlins, do not have a good hitting team. The Marlins are getting a run and a half on the run line. Bellozo pitching well translates into a game which will be 1-1 or 2-2 heading into the eighth inning, which would mean Marlins +1.5 would be in position to cover.
Final Cubs-Marlins Prediction & Pick
The Cubs might get shut down by Bellozo — that’s possible — but riding with Imanaga against a bad hitting team is hard to pass up. Take Chicago.
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Final Cubs-Marlins Prediction & Pick: Cubs -1.5
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