After a frustrating 2-1 loss in Friday night’s series opener, the Chicago Cubs (67-61) look to maintain their grip on an NL Wild Card spot in game two of their weekend set against the Pittsburgh Pirates (58-71). First pitch from PNC Park is set for 7:15 p.m. ET. Reliever-turned-starter Javier Assad (2-2, 3.13 ERA) will get the ball for Chicago, while Pittsburgh will send reliever Colin Selby (1-0, 7.27) to the mound as an opener.
The Cubs enter as -130 favorites on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the Pirates at +110. The run total is set at 9.5.
Cubs-Pirates picks: Saturday, August 26
Injury report
Cubs
Out: SP Marcus Stroman (right rib cartilage fracture), RP Brad Boxberger (right forearm strain)
Pirates
Out: OF/C Henry Davis (right hand strain), RP Carmen Mlodzinski (right elbow soreness), RP Angel Perdomo (left elbow discomfort), SS Oneil Cruz (fractured left fibula)
Starting pitchers
Javier Assad vs. Colin Selby
Assad has been a god-send for a beleaguered Cubs rotation, filling in for an injured Stroman with a 2.86 ERA over four outings so far this month. His sinkers in, cutters away routine is keeping hitters off-balance (81st percentile in average exit velocity), and he throws a ton of strikes and lets Chicago’s very strong infield defense make plays behind him. The righty held the Tigers to two runs over 5.1 innings last weekend.
Selby has yet to throw more than two innings in an appearance this season, and he’ll likely give way to rookie righty Osvaldo Bido for the bulk of tonight’s game. Bido has struggled in that capacity of late, with a 6.28 ERA across five appearances (two starts) this month — including two runs allowed on four hits in 3.1 innings against the Twins as a bulk man last weekend.
Over/Under pick
Bido and the rest of this Pirates stuff has been awfully shaky of late, but I still think this number is too high. The Cubs have been a bottom-five offense over the past two weeks — they mustered just five hits and one run last night — and Assad has been more than good enough to keep this middling Pittsburgh lineup in check. Maybe Chicago breaks out of their funk, but unless Assad blows up, this number is asking a lot of them.
Pick: Under 9.5
Moneyline pick
Chicago should come out desperate for a win in this spot as they’re just a game up on the Giants for the third and final NL Wild Card spot. Assad has done everything the Cubs could’ve asked when they slotted him into their rotation, and if he can spin another quality start, I think the bats will give him enough run support to pick up a victory.
Pick: Cubs
