The Philadelphia Phillies travel to Wrigley Field for the start of a 3 game series against the Chicago Cubs. The Phillies are just 3-7 in their last 10 games, and were just swept in a three game series by the San Francisco Giants. The Cubs are red-hot, and are coming back home after sweeping the Mets in a 4 game series in New York.
Kyle Hendricks will get the start for the Cubs on Tuesday night. Hendricks is 4-4 with a 3.19 ERA so far this season, but has proven to be one of the top pitchers in the National League. The Phillies will send young Zach Eflin to the mound, and hope he can bounce back after getting hit hard by the Dodgers in his last outing. The Chicago Cubs are -195 over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.
Cubs’ Offense Flying High
The Cubs feature a very potent offense that ranks near the top in the National League in several offensive categories. Javy Baez has been the most productive hitter for the Cubs, but he hasn’t been the only star. Baez has hit 14 home runs while driving in 45 runs so far this season, both lead the team.
In the four game sweep of the Mets, it was veterans, Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward, that did most of the damage for the Cubs. Joe Maddon has a roster full of options and has been finding the right combination of players to fill out his lineup. Look for the Cubs to do some damage against the young Phillies pitcher.
Phillies Struggling to Score
The Philadelphia Phillies are a complete mess offensively and had a rough weekend at the plate against the Giants. The Phillies were held to just 1 run during the sweep, and that run came off a solo home run from pitcher, Jake Arrieta. Philadelphia comes into this series ranked near the bottom in both batting average and runs scored.
Carlos Santana and Odubel Herrera have been the offensive stars for the Phillies, but have both struggled of late. Santana leads the team in both home runs (9) and runs batted in (33). The Phillies need big production from these two players with young phenom, Rhys Hoskins, currently on the disabled list. The Phillies offense faces a tough task against Hendricks on Tuesday night.
Cubs Win the Opener
The Cubs have been a better second half team under Joe Maddon, but this season it appears that they are starting their run earlier. The defending NL Central Champions continues to find new ways to win ball games and look to stay hot back at Wrigley Field.
The Phillies need to get their offense figured out, but it won’t be easy against a very talented Cubs’ pitching staff. The Cubs are currently ranked third in Major League Baseball in team ERA at 3.18. Look for the Phillies offensive woes to continue and the Cubs will stay hot in the series opener. Take the Chicago Cubs -195 over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.
