Reds vs Cubs Prediction - MLB Picks 8/3/23

Chicago Cubs (55-53) vs Cincinnati Reds (59-51)

Game Info: Thursday, August 3, 2023 at 8:05 pm (Wrigley Field)

Jameson Taillon (5-6) (5.36) vs Luke Weaver (2-3) (6.80)

Betting Odds: Chicago Cubs -152 / Cincinnati Reds +120 --- Over/Under: 10 Click Here for the Latest Odds

The Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs will conclude their divisional series this Thursday from Wrigley Field. Chicago bullied Cincinnati again with a massive game two win, 16-6.

Reds Preview & Projected Starter

Cincinnati moved to 59-51 after losing to Chicago. The Reds simply haven't been able to contain or keep up with the Cubs this week, and they'll look to leave the Windy City with some dignity here. flipped the script over the second half of July, but they’ll look to avoid trading their eighth straight game here. The Cincinnati offense is scoring 3.78 runs per game, while batting .257, with a .334 on-base percentage. The pitching staff carries a 4.96 ERA, with a 1.46 WHIP.

Luke Weaver (2-3, 6.80 ERA, 53 Ks) will get the ball for Cincinnati. The journeyman righty pitched pretty well in Los Angeles last week, holding them to two hits and three runs through six innings, but he still ended up taking the losing division. Weaver’s record should be a bit worse than it is, so he was due one of those, and he just hasn’t been able to contain lineups for long this season. Weaver’s allowed four runs or more in three of his last five road spots, but he’ll attempt to cool the Cubs off here Thursday.

Reds Player Trends & Props

• Spencer Steer plated a run in five of the last six games, and he leads the team in hits (106), home runs (16), with 61 RBI.

• Elly De La Cruz has recorded a hit in seven of the last nine contests, and he’s batting .269, with 40 runs scored thru 48 games.

• Joey Votto homered twice at Wrigley Field yesterday, and after producing runs in three straight games, he’s up to 29 RBI thru 34 contests.

• Jake Fraley produced a run in the game one victory, and he leads Cincy in RBI (63), with fifteen home runs.

Cubs Preview & Projected Starter

Chicago comes in at 55-53 after beating Cincinnati. The Cubs put another spanking on the Reds last night, and they'll look to apply more pressure here Thursday. The Chicago offense is scoring 4.12 runs per game, while batting .243, with a .323 on-base percentage. The pitching staff carries a 4.18 ERA, with a 1.28 WHIP.

Jameson Taillon (2-6, 6.90 ERA, 27 Ks) will get the ball for Chicago. The eighth-year pitcher managed to toss a season-high eight strikeouts, but he gave up five runs in five innings, and dropped his second straight decision. Taillon has now allowed four runs or more in seven of his last nine starts, while surpassing the five-strikeout mark just once. Taillon just can’t get it going for the Cubs after signing on over the winter, and it’s unclear if things will turn around for him this season.

Cubs Player Trends & Props

• Dansby Swanson has hit four home runs in the Cincy series, and he’s posting nice splits of .265/16/51.

• Cody Bellinger homered in the game two victory, and he’s leading the Cubs in batting (.316), with sixteen home runs and 50 RBI.

• Christopher Morel went yard in Wednesday’s win, and he’s posting identical stats of seventeen homers and 52 RBI, while batting .282.

• Nico Hoerner has recorded a hit in all three matchups with Cincinnati, and he leads the Cubbies in hits (118) and RBI (58).

• Ian Happ provided a pair of solo shots in the massive game three win, and he’s posting a line of .249/12/49.

• Newly acquired Jeimer Canderlario has made himself right at home in a return to Chicago with eight hits through two games, and he’s up to splits of .273/16/53.

Corey’s Free Pick

Chicago took to narrow game one loss personally, and aftering clobbering Cincinnati in back-to-back nights, their momentum is a bit much to ignore here. The Cubs have won twelve of their last fourteen games, and their plying out of their minds at the plate right now. If they can get another solid out from Jameson Taillon here, they should be able to win this divisional series here in game four. Lets back Chicago here, and don't shy away from the total if it drops before the first pitch in primetime.