8:15 pm
September 16

Indians @ Cubs

Who will WIN this matchup?

Cleveland Indians (26-22)

@ Chicago Cubs (29-20)

 

Starting Pitchers:

Civale (CLE): 3-5; 3.88 ERA

Lester (CHC) 2-2; 5.05 ERA

 

Current odds:

Cleveland Indians: (-116)

Chicago Cubs: (+106)

 

• The Chicago Cubs will go for their fourth win in a row when they host the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday. The Cubs (29-20) are coming off a 6-5 win in the series opener, when Cameron Maybin was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the ninth to force in the decisive run. Chicago improved to 3-0 this season against Cleveland as it looks for another two-game sweep.

• Meanwhile, Cleveland (26-22) is hoping to snap a seven-game losing streak, its worst stretch of the season. Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti remains confident that his team can make a deep playoff run, even if it happens to qualify as a seventh or eighth seed in the newly expanded postseason.

• On Wednesday, the Cubs will turn to veteran left-hander Jon Lester (2-2, 5.05 ERA) for his 10th start of the season. The 36-year-old veteran has 192 career victories, 76 of which have come with Chicago. Lester endured a tough start to the season but is coming off one of his best performances. He pitched six scoreless innings Friday while striking out eight against the Milwaukee Brewers. A mechanical adjustment was the key to Lester’s improved start. He has 12 walks and 37 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings on the season. Lester is 8-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 18 career starts against Cleveland.

• The Indians will counter with Aaron Civale (3-5, 3.88), who also is slated to make his 10th start. The 25-year-old right-hander is looking to snap a four-game winless streak. In his most recent start, last Thursday, he allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings during an 11-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals. Civale struck out seven and walked one. This will be Civale’s first career start against the Cubs.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Chicago Cubs
Previous Pick
Next Pick