The Pittsburgh Pirates (20-25) and Chicago Cubs (25-20) play the 2nd contest in a 4-game series Friday at Wrigley Field. First pitch is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. ET (MLB Network). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Pirates vs. Cubs odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Tied 2-2
The Pirates secured a 5-4 win in the series opener Thursday as slight underdogs (+105) as the Over (8) cashed. As a ‘dog, the Pirates are 3-3 in the past 6 games straight up, while cashing on the run line as an underdog in 5 of those outings. The Over is 6-1-2 across the previous 9 contests, too, including 3-0-1 vs. Chicago this season.
The Cubs have dropped 3 of the past 4 games at home, and they’re just 1-3 straight up in the past 4 outings. The Under has cashed in 3 of the past 4 games, with the offense averaging 2.8 runs per game (RPG), including 2 shutout losses. The pitching has yielded just 19 total runs in the past 5 outings, or 3.8 RPG.