The Chicago Cubs are cruising, and the Colorado Rockies are crashing. The Cubs have won eight of their last 10, led by their scorching offense, ranking 2nd in MLB with 328 runs. Colorado, on the other hand, has lost nine of 10, limping with an MLB-worst 5.61 team ERA and ranking dead last in team batting average (.219). This third game of the series should expose that disparity with ugly punctuation. Below, I’ve got my preview, prediction, and best bet for this Wednesday night baseball game between the Cubs and the Rockies.
Here’s how I’ll play it. I’ll be pumping out these predictions for individual games all season, with plenty of coverage here on DraftKings Network. Follow my handle @dansby_edits for more betting plays.
Cubs vs. Rockies prediction, preview
Tanner Gordon, making just his third MLB start for the Rockies, has a 4.38 ERA but his numbers tell the real story. Over his last two starts, he’s allowed six earned runs across 12.1 innings. Gordon struggles to keep hitters off balance, walking 3.5/nine innings, and now faces a Cubs lineup that leads the league in RBIs (320) and has shown no signs of slowing down. The Cubs are a juggernaut, featuring power from hitters known for more pure bat-to-ball skills like Pete Crow-Armstrong (14 HR, 49 RBI) and Seiya Suzuki (14 HR, 50 RBI). Advanced numbers back it all up. Against Gordon’s fastball-heavy approach, expect the Cubs’ patient hitters to make him pay.
Don’t forget about the X-factor in that lineup, now, in Matt Shaw. He smacked last night’s game-winning single to claim the Chicago victory 4-3. He’s seeing the ball well, had been seeing it well before they called him up, and there’s now some extra protection toward the bottom of this order. As if they needed it.
Matthew Boyd will take the mound for the Cubs with a steady 3.42 ERA. His recent form shows consistency—he’s allowed three or fewer runs in each of his last nine starts. Boyd’s ability to keep hitters off base, evident in his 1.32 WHIP, makes him a nightmare for a Rockies offense that ranks 29th in OBP (.285). While Boyd’s not a strikeout machine, he gets the job done, allowing just 0.9 HR/9.
The Rockies will need more than Hunter Goodman’s .276 average and 31 RBIs to threaten here. Colorado has been putting up just 3.2 runs per game—second worst in the league—and faces a Cubs staff that’s been limiting damage. Boyd’s control and ability to stifle hitters will push Colorado into a hole early.
Rockies vs. Cubs pick, best bet
This game is primed for a Cubs blowout. The Rockies’ struggles, both at the plate and on the mound, can’t match the Cubs’ firepower. The Cubs’ lineup will punish Gordon, and Boyd’s steady pitching will stifle Colorado’s weak offense. Not to mention, even Counsell admitted last night that the Wrigley bats have been a little quiet. They’re due for a bounceback, and the wind should be more favorable tonight. The Cubs’ offense has been explosive, with a wRC+ of 125 in the last ten games, well above average. In contrast, the Rockies’ wRC+ is under 80. That’s about 25% worse than league average.
With the Rockies’ road woes continuing—just three wins in 24 games away from Coors—there’s only one clear play here. The ladder-climb! We’re taking Cubs -2.5 tonight. The Cubs’ momentum, powered by one of the most potent offenses in the league, should overwhelm and bury Colorado tonight. Early and often.
But also late. The Cubs tend to find something after the sixth inning, don’t they?
Best bet: Cubs -2.5 (+105) vs. Rockies
Wind forecasted to be better at Wrigley tonight, and a bounceback opportunity for the Cubs’ bats—tail it with me in the DKN Betting Group here!
