The Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers open a three-game series Friday night that could have a major impact on both the National League Central and wild-card races. Chicago enters Friday tied for the division lead with the St. Louis Cardinals, who just completed a four-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Brewers are two games back in both the division and wild-card races. These clubs square off six times within the next 10 days and are 3-3 so far this season, with each winning a home series. Kyle Hendricks is scheduled to pitch for Chicago, opposed by reliable veteran Gio Gonzalez of Milwaukee. Milwaukee is a -110 money-line favorite (risk $110 to win $100), while the over-under is set at 9.5 in the latest Cubs vs. Brewers odds. Before you finalize your Cubs vs. Brewers picks, make sure you see the MLB predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, entered Week 18 of the MLB season on a sizzling 27-10 run on top-rated MLB money line picks, returning more than $2,000 on the season to $100 bettors. Anybody who has been following it is way up.
Now, the model has dialed in on Cubs vs. Brewers. We can tell you it's leaning toward the under, and it also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only see that pick at SportsLine.
The Cubs have been bolstered by the recent surge from Kris Bryant, who appears to be revisiting his All-Star form. Bryant appears to have gotten past the shoulder injury that plagued him most of last year and he is heating up of late. He is hitting .354 with five home runs and six doubles in 17 games in July.
Bryant enters Friday on a five-game hitting streak and has been held hitless in just four games this month. The third baseman was replaced during Wednesday's game against San Francisco after suffering some soreness in the right knee, but is in the lineup on Friday. For the season, Bryant is hitting .299 with 21 homers and 51 RBI.
Even so, Chicago doesn't necessarily have the Cubs vs. Brewers money-line value against a Milwaukee club that could potentially overtake first place in the division with a strong series.
Milwaukee hopes to get on the right track behind Gonzalez (2-1, 3.60 ERA), who will be making his second start since coming off the injured list. The 33-year-old has proven to be a clutch performer down the stretch for contending teams.The Brewers have won five of his last six starts and four straight when he takes the mound against opponents with winning records. Milwaukee also is on a 6-2 spurt at home in its rivalry with Chicago.
Milwaukee also boasts the No. 6-ranked offense in the National League, just behind Chicago, and is second in the NL behind Los Angeles with 173 home runs.
So who wins Brewers vs. Cubs? And which side of the money line has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Brewers vs. Cubs money line you should be all over Friday, all from the advanced model that has crushed its MLB picks, and find out.
