Wednesday night's rubber match between the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies is shaping up to be a must-watch, with both National League squads locked at an 8-9 record. After a high-scoring 10-4 Cubs victory on Tuesday, the series finale at Citizens Bank Park promises more fireworks.
The pitching matchup features Chicago's Shota Imanaga (0-1, 2.81 ERA) against Philadelphia's Jesús Luzardo (1-2, 6.23 ERA). While Imanaga has been solid overall, current Phillies hitters have historically tagged him for a .333 average. Luzardo, meanwhile, will look to find his form against a Cubs lineup that has been clicking.
According to a proven computer model that simulates every MLB game 10,000 times, the smart play is on the Over for the 8.5 total runs. This prediction is backed by recent trends: the first two games of this series saw 14+ runs each, and the Over has hit in the Cubs' last four games and in 7 of the Phillies' last 10 home contests. With two offenses finding their rhythm, expect another game where the scoreboard lights up early and often.
