Miami Marlins vs Chi. Cubs Cubs Picks and Predictions August 23rd 2024

The Cubs and Marlins are set to face off in an NL matchup at 7:10 PM ET on Friday. This one is being played at loanDepot Park in Miami, and the Cubs are the slight favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -125 compared to the Marlins at +106. The over/under line is at 8.5 runs.

Chicago comes in with a record of 63-65, while the Marlins are 46-81. Kyle Hendricks is set to start for the Cubs, while Max Meyer goes for the Marlins. Miami is currently on a three-game losing streak and is 5th in the NL East, while the Cubs are 3rd in the NL Central.

Chicago vs. Miami Key Information

Right-hander Kyle Hendricks gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces the Marlins on the road. He has made 17 starts this season and has a record of 3-10 with a 6.35 ERA. Opponents are batting .283 off Hendricks this year. In his 17 road starts, he is 2-5 with a 7.68 ERA. Hendricks’ ERA at home is 5.78. Looking back at his last outing, Hendricks finished with a no-decision vs. the Blue Jays. He went five innings, giving up one earned run on five hits. Before that, he had lost three straight starts.

Heading into today’s game, the Cubs are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 19th in the league. This season, they are batting just .234, which is 20th in the MLB. However, they do have three players with at least 18 home runs, including Ian Happ, who is batting just .230 but has gone deep 22 times this season. Happ has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 9/36 in his last 10 games with three homers.

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As a team, the Cubs have been pretty consistent, as they are averaging 4.3 runs per game on the road and 4.1 at home. In terms of on-base percentage, the Cubs are 15th in the league, and they are also 8th in the league in terms of drawing walks.

Max Meyer will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Mets, as he gave up four earned runs in four innings of work. In that outing, he gave up three homers. Looking back over his last four starts, Meyer has allowed at least one homer in each outing. The right-hander has a record of 3-3 and an ERA of 5.58 to go along with a WHIP of 1.36. Opposing batters are hitting .272 off Meyer this season. Out of his eight starts, Meyer has two quality starts and is averaging 7.36 strikeouts per nine innings.

The Marlins offense has been struggling this season, averaging just 3.7 runs per game, which is 29th in the league. Miami is also near the bottom of the league in home runs and walks. However, they have been a better offensive team at home, averaging 4.1 runs per game. As a team, they are batting just .239 and have an OPS of .662.

Jake Burger has been on a tear of late, batting .308 over his last 10 games with five homers. For the season, he is batting .249 with a team-high 57 RBIs. Burger’s 25 homers are 12th in the league. Otto Lopez has also been swinging a hot bat, going 13/39 in his last 10 games. He is also on a six-game hitting streak.

Our lean in this Cubs vs. Marlins matchup is to take the Cubs to win straight-up. And despite our projections pointing to this being the lowest-scoring game of the day, we are leaning towards taking the over. The Cubs have the 6th worst team hits projection, but 4th best team runs projection, and Max Meyer is 5th among today’s starters in earned runs allowed projection.

Marlins Lean on Unsung Heroes as They Face Cubs in Series Opener

The Miami Marlins, who right now hold the most terrible record in the National League, are looking for players who can have an enduring effect as they revamp for what’s in store. As they open a three-game series against the meeting Chicago Cubs on Friday night, the Marlins will be hoping to keep distinguishing potential champions among their program.

Arising Players Sparkle for Marlins

Notwithstanding the battles this season, the Marlins have seen a few promising exhibitions from less popular players, especially since the Top pick break. Shortstop Xavier Edwards, first baseman Jonah Lady of the hour, and outfielder David Hensley have all shown glimmers of potential, giving desire to the group’s future.

Xavier Edwards has been a splendid spot, hitting .342 with 18 takes, four copies, two triples, one grand slam, and 14 RBIs in 31 games since the break. His 12 multi-hit games during that range feature his capacity to reliably contribute unpleasantly.

Jonah Bride has also impressed, reaching base in 19 of his past 21 games and posting a .798 OPS in 36 games for the Marlins this season. Meanwhile, David Hensley, who went 3-for-5 in a recent 10-8 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, has drawn praise from Marlins manager Skip Schumaker.

“He hasn’t had a ton of playing time,” Schumaker said of Hensley. “If he wants to stick in the big leagues, he’ll have to be a good platoon option and play all over the diamond.”

These players will be crucial for the Marlins as they continue to evaluate their roster for the future.

Max Meyer Takes the Mound for Marlins

On Friday, the Marlins will send right-hander Max Meyer (3-3, 5.58 ERA) to the mound. Meyer, the third overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, has yet to fully realize his potential at the major league level. He has never faced the Cubs, and this game presents an opportunity for him to demonstrate his capabilities against a team that is also navigating a challenging season.

Cubs Look to Young Talent Amid Struggles

The Chicago Cubs enter the series with a 63-65 record and a thin 2.9 percent chance of making the end of the season games, as per FanGraphs. Notwithstanding their battles at the significant league level, the Cubs have a promising future, with six top-100 possibilities at Triple-A. Nonetheless, their ongoing program has confronted hardships, especially on offense, where they rank in the base third of the majors in key details like homers, batting average, and Operations.

One of the Cubs’ strengths this season has been their defense, as they are tied for seventh in the majors with a .986 fielding percentage. The Cubs boast three former Gold Glove winners in second baseman Nico Hoerner, shortstop Dansby Swanson, and left fielder Ian Happ. Their pitching staff has also been a strong point, ranking fifth in the majors in ERA (3.71) and eighth in steals (109).

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The Cubs will start right-hander Kyle Hendricks (3-10, 6.35 ERA) on Friday. Hendricks has struggled this season, but he has had success against the Marlins in the past, with a 3-2 record and a 1.86 ERA in eight career starts against them. However, the Cubs have a poor record of 6-16 when Hendricks pitches this year.

Cubs’ Bullpen Faces Challenges

The Cubs’ warm up area has been a place of concern, particularly after the arrival of veteran nearer Hector Neris, who had a 3.89 ERA and a group high 17 recoveries. Accordingly, the Cubs called up one of their main 20 possibilities, Jack Neely, who made his MLB debut on Wednesday. Neely had an unpleasant beginning, permitting four runs in a single inning, yet returned with a scoreless inning and two strikeouts on Thursday.

Neely, a towering presence at 6-foot-8 and 245 pounds, has shown promise with his 96-97 mph fastball and impressive slider. In 37 games between Double-A and Triple-A this year, he posted a 2.42 ERA with nine saves and averaged 14.2 strikeouts per nine innings.

“He struck out (nearly) half the batters he faced (in the minors),” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of Neely. “He earned a shot.”

High Stakes as Marlins and Cubs Clash

Both the Marlins and the Cubs are hoping to find brilliant spots in the thing has been a difficult season for the two groups. The Marlins are assessing their young ability as they modify, while the Cubs are attempting to take full advantage of their leftover games with an eye toward what’s to come. As Max Meyer takes the hill for Miami and Kyle Hendricks seeks find his structure for Chicago, this series opener could give a brief look into the expected future stars of the two associations.