{"id":17685,"date":"2024-07-30T16:47:54","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T16:47:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/?p=17685"},"modified":"2024-07-31T09:54:54","modified_gmt":"2024-07-31T09:54:54","slug":"can-the-cubs-new-lineup-and-the-reds-pitching-staff-power-their-teams-to-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/can-the-cubs-new-lineup-and-the-reds-pitching-staff-power-their-teams-to-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"Can The Cubs’ New Lineup And The Reds’ Pitching Staff Power Their Teams To Victory?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Don\u2019t miss your chance to win $1000 in the ATS Wins countdown to\u00a0kickoff giveaway<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ready for tonight’s MLB showdown between the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds? Let\u2019s break down what\u2019s shaping up to be an intriguing game and see why choosing the under for total runs might just be the smart play.<\/p>\n

Game Overview:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
    \n
  • Date:<\/strong> Tuesday, July 30, 2024<\/li>\n
  • Time:<\/strong> 7:10 p.m. ET<\/li>\n
  • Venue:<\/strong> Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Chicago Cubs: A Team with New Energy<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The Cubs have been on a bit of a rollercoaster this season. Their batting lineup has had its share of ups and downs, but the return of Cody Bellinger and the addition of Isaac Paredes bring some fresh hope. Bellinger, who\u2019s been sidelined with a fractured finger, is back in action, and his presence should give the Cubs\u2019 offense a much-needed boost. Through 79 games this season, Bellinger has a .269 average with nine home runs and 37 RBIs. Not too shabby, right?<\/p>\n

    Meanwhile, Isaac Paredes joins the Cubs after a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays. Paredes, who made the AL All-Star team this year, hit .245 with 16 homers and 55 RBIs in Tampa. His arrival is a promising sign for a team looking to add some power to their lineup.<\/p>\n

    However, despite these additions, the Cubs have been inconsistent at the plate. Their batting average sits at .244, and they’ve struggled to find a rhythm, especially in recent games.<\/p>\n

    Cincinnati Reds: A Team on the Rise<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The Reds, on the other hand, are coming off a solid 7-1 victory over the Cubs. Their offense was explosive in that game, thanks to three home runs that helped secure the win. With a season batting average of .252, the Reds have shown they can score runs when it matters.<\/p>\n

    However, tonight\u2019s game comes with a bit of uncertainty for the Reds. Frankie Montas, their scheduled starting pitcher, was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. Montas was the Reds’ Opening Day starter and had been a key player for them. This trade has left the Reds scrambling to find a replacement for tonight\u2019s game. This uncertainty could play a significant role in how the game unfolds.<\/p>\n

    Pitching Matchup: The Battle on the Mound<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Here\u2019s where it gets interesting. The Cubs\u2019 Justin Steele is set to take the mound for Chicago. Steele has a 2-4 record with a 3.08 ERA this season. On paper, his ERA looks pretty solid, but he\u2019s faced some struggles in recent outings. Notably, Steele has a challenging history at Great American Ball Park, holding a 7.31 ERA in five career appearances there. He\u2019s faced the Reds twice this season with mixed results: he\u2019s had a no-decision and a loss, indicating that Cincinnati’s hitters have found ways to get to him.<\/p>\n

    For the Reds, the absence of Montas means a mystery starter will take the mound. This unknown factor adds an extra layer of intrigue and unpredictability to the game.<\/p>\n

    Top 5 MLB Prediction Models:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
      \n
    1. Baseball Reference\u2019s Elo Ratings<\/strong>\n
        \n
      • Prediction:<\/strong> 7.5 total runs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • FanGraphs\u2019 Steamer Projections<\/strong>\n
          \n
        • Prediction:<\/strong> 6.2 total runs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • FiveThirtyEight\u2019s CARMELO<\/strong>\n
            \n
          • Prediction:<\/strong> 8.8 total runs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
          • Bill James Online\u2019s MLB Forecasts<\/strong>\n
              \n
            • Prediction:<\/strong> 9 total runs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
            • Bleacher Report\u2019s Advanced Metrics Model<\/strong>\n
                \n
              • Prediction:<\/strong> 7 total runs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                Why the Under Might Be the Way to Go<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                So, with all this information, why is choosing the under for total runs (set at 9) a sensible choice? Let\u2019s break it down:<\/p>\n

                  \n
                1. Pitching Uncertainty:<\/strong> The Reds are missing their ace, Frankie Montas, and we don\u2019t yet know who will step in as the replacement. This adds a level of unpredictability to their pitching performance. If the replacement pitcher is inexperienced or less reliable, runs could be harder to come by.<\/li>\n
                2. Steele\u2019s Struggles in Cincinnati:<\/strong> Justin Steele has struggled in his past appearances at Great American Ball Park. With his 7.31 ERA in Cincinnati and the Reds\u2019 ability to score against him earlier this season, we could see a similar outcome tonight, keeping the total runs lower than expected.<\/li>\n
                3. Cubs\u2019 Inconsistency:<\/strong> Despite adding key players like Bellinger and Paredes, the Cubs have had trouble finding their groove at the plate. Their batting average of .244 highlights their struggles, and against a potentially shaky Reds pitching staff, they might find it hard to capitalize fully.<\/li>\n
                4. Weather Conditions:<\/strong> The weather is expected to be clear with temperatures around 80\u00b0F. While this isn’t extreme, it generally favors hitters slightly. However, given the uncertainties with the Reds\u2019 pitching and the Cubs\u2019 recent performance, this slight boost might not be enough to push the total runs over 9.<\/li>\n
                5. Recent Trends:<\/strong> The Reds\u2019 strong performance in their last game could be a factor, but it also means they might face a letdown. Combined with Steele\u2019s tough history at their home field, this game could lean towards a lower-scoring affair.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                  With the Cubs’ recent struggles and the Reds’ pitching uncertainty, choosing the under for a total of 9 runs is a reasonable decision. The combination of Steele\u2019s track record in Cincinnati, the unknown status of the Reds\u2019 replacement pitcher, and the Cubs\u2019 batting inconsistencies point towards a potentially lower-scoring game.<\/p>\n

                  So, grab your popcorn and enjoy the game! With the factors in play, this matchup promises to be an exciting one, even if the runs might not come as easily as fans hope.<\/p>\n

                  PICK: under 9 total runs LOSE<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                  Don\u2019t miss your chance to win $1000 in the ATS Wins countdown to\u00a0kickoff giveaway   Ready for tonight’s MLB showdown between the Chicago Cubs and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":103,"featured_media":17688,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[21],"tags":[517,1119,934,811,867,842,965,615,851],"class_list":["post-17685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb","tag-ai-analysis","tag-ai-analysis-for-mlb","tag-baseball-pick","tag-chicago-cubs","tag-chicago-cubs-vs-cincinnati-reds","tag-cincinnati-reds","tag-mlb-game-preview","tag-prediction-models","tag-three-game-series","two-columns"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Chicago-Cubs-vs-Cincinnati-Reds-1.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/103"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17685"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17721,"href":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17685\/revisions\/17721"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}