Arizona Diamondbacks (60-46 SU, 60-46 RL, 47-53-6 O/U) vs Chicago Cubs (57-48 SU, 43-62 RL, 48-53-4 O/U)
When: 2:20 PM EDT, Thursday, August 3, 2017
Where: Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois
Lines: Chicago -127/ Arizona +117
Total: 8.5
Thursday afternoon bases and the Arizona Diamondbacks will pay a visit to Wrigley field in Chicago to rumble with the Chicago Cubs in game three of their three-game series. The Cubs destroyed the D-Backs in game one by a score of 16-4. Pitching Probables: Getting the nod for the Diamondbacks in this one will be Zack Greinke (13-4, 2.84 ERA) and he will be opposed by Jose Quintana (2-1, 2.37 ERA).
Corbin & McFarland Get Hit Hard In Game One
The Arizona Diamondbacks have had a very solid season so far and the biggest surprise for them has been their pitching, but that pitching failed to show up in game one of this series. Patrick Corbin got the start in the game and he was rocked for seven ERs on 10 hits in just 3.0 innings of work and then T.J. McFarland came in and allowed seven ERs on six hits and three walks in just 2.3 innings of work. That is not the kind of pitching that the Diamondbacks have been getting this year. Corbin is now 8-10 with a 4.77 ERA on the year. The loss also knocked them out of the top spot in the wildcard standings as they have now fallen a half a game behind the Rockies, but they still have a five game lead over Milwaukee for the 2nd wild card slot. Getting the nod for the Diamondbacks will be Zack Greinke and he has gone 13-4 with a 2.84 ERA in 21 starts on the year, including 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in his last three starts and 3-4 with a 3.45 ERA in nine starts on the road. Greinke has gone 29-15 with a 3.57 ERA in 69 games (60 starts) during the month of August in his career and 49-31 with a 3.52 ERA in 119 games (110 starts) in the daytime, while against the Cubs he has gone 4-3 with a 4.02 ERA in nine starts, including 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA in four starts here at Wrigley.
The Diamondbacks have been a solid offensive team thus far as they come in ranked 6th in the league in scoring, putting up 5.02 rpg, while also ranking 13th in hitting at .257 and 14th in homers with 134. On the mound, they have been very strong in the early going as they come in ranked 2nd in the league in ERA at 3.54, while also ranking 4th in WHIP at 1.25.
Cubs Bring Out The Big Sticks In Rout Of D-Backs
The Chicago Cubs have not been the same offensive team that they were a year ago, but that offense has really picked up as they have averaged 5.94 rpg after winning 16-4 against the D-Backs in game one of this series. The Cubs hit five homers in the game with Anthony Rizzo having two of them. He now has 26 on the year, which leads the team. Also going deep in the game was Javier Baez (14th), Ian Happ (14th) and Jon Lester, which was the first homer of his career. Lester didn’t really pitch well in the game as he allowed three ERs on five hits and three walks in just four innings of work. He is 8-6 with a 3.96 ERA on the year. The Cubs have a 2.5 game lead in the Central Division and they are 28-22 at home. Chicago is 24-24 in day games, compared to going 33-24 at night. The Cubs will be sending out Jose Quintana and he has gone 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA in his first three starts with the Cubs, while overall this year he has gone 6-9 with a 4.16 ERA in 21 starts. Quintana has gone 8-8 with a 3.90 ERA in 27 career starts in August and 16-26 with a 3.83 ERA in 70 games (67 starts) in the daytime and he is 1-1 with a 3.10 ERA in three career starts here at Wrigley, while against the Diamondbacks the has gone 0-2 with a 9.58 ERA in two career starts.
The Cubs have been a solid offensive team so far as they come in ranked 10th in the league in scoring, putting up 4.76 rpg, while also ranking 24th in hitting at .246 and 19th in homers with 150. On the mound, they have been solid so far as they come in ranked 7th in the league in ERA at 3.92, while also ranking 7th in WHIP at 1.27.
Trends
Arizona is:
- 7-2 in their last nine Thursday games
- 5-1 in Greinke’s last six starts on grass
Chicago is:
- 3-7 in their last 10 home games vs. a right-handed starter
- 0-5 in their last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15
Jose Quintana has been solid for the Cubs since coming over from the White Sox as he is 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA in three starts, but he is facing Zack Greinke, who has been hot of late as he is 5-0 with a 2.07 ERA in his last six starts. The Diamondbacks were crushed in game one and could very well lose games two of this series on Wednesday night, but I feel that they will steal one today. Quintana has not had a great year overall and he is 0-2 with a 9.38 ERA in two career starts against the Diamondbacks. Greinke is 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA in four career starts in this park, but he is really locked in overall right now and i see him getting the better of Quintana in this one.
Pick: Arizona +117
There is no OU line, as of this writing, and that can make the play a bit difficult, still we will give it a shot. Both starters have been pitching well of late, but let’s also note that Greinke has an 8.10 ERA in four career starts in this park, while Quintana has a 9.38 ERA in two career starts against the Diamondbacks. Something has to give here. I will look for the pitchers to have a good showing in this one. Quintana has a 2.37 ERA since joining the team, while Greinke has a 2.07 ERA in his last six starts. THe Under is 6-1-1 in Greinke’s last eight road starts, while the Under is 20-8-1 in Chicago’s last 29 games vs. a right-handed starter. Look for a nice pitcher’s duel in this one.