The Pittsburgh Pirates (70-81) and Chicago Cubs (79-72) will play the second game of their three-game series on Wednesday, September 20. First pitch from Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois is set for 7:40 p.m. ET. Pittsburgh will start Mitch Keller (12-9, 4.04 ERA), while Chicago counters with Justin Steele (16-4, 2.73).
The Cubs are the -180 moneyline favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Pirates are the +150 underdogs, and the run total is set at 7.5.
Pirates-Cubs picks: Wednesday, September 20
Injury report
Pirates
N/A
Cubs
Out: RP Michael Fulmer (forearm), CP Adbert Alzolay (forearm), 3B Jeimer Candelario (back), 3B Nick Madrigal (hamstring)
Starting pitchers
Mitch Keller vs. Justin Steele
This will be Keller’s 31st start of the year. He got rocked his second-to-last time out, allowing eight earned in five innings against the Atlanta Braves. Keller then rebounded with eight shutout innings against the Washington Nationals. He allowed just two hits and struck out seven while earning his 12th win of the season.
Steele will take the mound for the 29th time. He remains one of the best starters in the league with the second-best ERA and tied for the second-most wins. Steele might be glad not to face the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third start in a row — he was dominant in the first but then allowed six earned runs on seven hits in six innings in the second, so they must have figured something out.
Over/Under pick
Chicago dominated game one of this series, 14-1. Despite the high run total, the pitching matchups favor the under with Keller and Steele on the mound. Keller pitched eight shutout innings his last time facing the Cubs. Steele allowed just two earned runs when he last took on the Pittsburgh lineup, leading me to take the under.
Pick: Under 7.5
Moneyline pick
The Cubs got off their five-game losing streak, picking up the win on Tuesday. Chicago’s lineup has developed into a consistent producer at the plate, which showed when they scored 14 runs in the win. Pittsburgh is 1-4 over its last three games, and I think the Cubs pick up a Wednesday win at home.
Pick: Cubs -180