Two of the top starting pitchers in the National League square off Thursday as the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs wrap up their four-game series. First pitch from Wrigley Field is at 2:20 p.m. ET. The Cubs came from three runs down for an 8-4 victory on Wednesday, assuring them of at least a split in the series. The Cubs will aim to clinch the series behind veteran lefty Jon Lester, who will look to bounce back from his worst outing of the season. Philadelphia counters with Aaron Nola, who hopes to build on a streak of standout performances. Chicago is a -110 favorite (risk $110 to win $100) and the over-under for total runs scored is 7.5 in the latest Cubs vs. Phillies odds. Before you lock in your Cubs vs. Phillies picks, listen to what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say.
The model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, is off to a profitable start on its top-rated MLB picks in 2019. It also entered Week 9 on a strong 12-5 run on top-rated MLB money line picks. Anybody who has been following it is in the black.
Now, the model is locked in on Thursday's Phillies vs. Cubs matchup from every angle, and we can tell you it says one side of the money line has all the value. That pick is only available at SportsLine.
The model knows the Cubs will be eager to finish off their series against a fellow NL contender with a victory to continue a hot streak that has seen them win 17 of their last 23.
Javier Baez's pinch-hit, walk-off single completed a ninth-inning comeback for Chicago in a 3-2 victory on Tuesday in a pitching duel after it dropped the opener 5-4 in 10 innings on Monday. But after falling behind 3-0 Wednesday, Chicago's potent offense stepped up and quickly changed the game's trajectory. Anthony Rizzo tied it with a three-run homer in the bottom of the third, and Albert Almora Jr. broke it open with his first career grand slam in the fifth.
Even so, Chicago is far from a sure thing to provide value on the Cubs vs. Phillies money line.
The model also knows the Phillies arrived in Chicago having won six of their previous nine and were coming off a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies. A big part of their turnaround can be credited to a pitching staff that ranks fourth in the National League with a 3.90 ERA and 22 quality starts.
Nola has emerged as a reliable mainstay of the rotation. Following a rough three-game stretch, he has yielded three or fewer runs in six consecutive starts. In his last outing, he allowed one earned run on eight hits in six innings against Colorado in a 2-1 victory. He recorded a season-high 12 strikeouts against just one walk.
The Phillies have won his last four starts and are 5-2 in his last seven road outings. They belted out 13 hits Wednesday, but were felled by leaving 12 runners on base.
So who wins Phillies vs. Cubs? And which side of the money line has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Phillies vs. Cubs money line you should be all over Thursday, all from the advanced model that has crushed its MLB picks, and find out.
