Game 3 of 4 in this classic NL Central rivalry is coming up soon. The Chicago Cubs (31-33) and Cincinnati Reds (31-33) will play on Saturday, June 8, at 4:10 PM ET at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Reds have a slight advantage with a moneyline at -120.
The Cubs are currently on a two-game losing skid, both of which have been against the Reds. The average score so far in this series has been 5.5 to 3.0, with the Cubs failing to slow down the Reds on offense.
They have an excellent opportunity to slow them down here with Ben Brown (1-2) on the mound. He currently showcases a 3.33 ERA and a WHIP of 1.09. As a whole, they produce a 3.98 ERA.
The Cubs have a few players that stand out offensively. One to keep an eye on would be Christopher Morel, who leads them with 39 RBIs and 12 home runs. They also have Mike Tauchman, who leads with a .268 batting average.
They are averaging .226 at the plate but give opposing teams a chance to succeed by allowing .243. This will need to change if they want any shot at success for the rest of the season, let alone this game.
The Reds have won their last six games and have excellent momentum entering Game 3. Their offense has come alive at a great time, averaging 7.5 runs per game over this six-game win streak.
They will start Andrew Abbott (4-5), who has an ERA of 3.39 and a WHIP of 1.14. Their team ERA is 3.90. This should be a great battle between starting pitchers, as Abbott pairs well alongside Brown.
The Reds have Jonathan India leading them with a .249 batting average. Elly De La Cruz leads with 11 homers, while Spencer Steer has 40 RBIs. As you can see, they have quality help everywhere and are independent of one person.
They have a .228 batting average and allow their opponents to average .237. While this is a slightly negative ratio, they are in a better position than the Cubs. Starter pitching will be key, but late-game performances will ultimately determine the winner.
MyBookie has the betting odds ready for this MLB showdown, with the Reds favored for success. According to market insights, they have a 59.0 percent chance of winning.
This should be another close matchup, especially since both teams are nearly identical on paper and have similar starter pitching. The advantage goes to the Reds, who are at home.
