Philadelphia Phillies vs Chi. Cubs Cubs Picks and Predictions September 24th 2024

There are a total of 15 games on the MLB schedule for Tuesday, and one of them is an NL matchup between the Cubs and Phillies. This one is getting started at 6:40 PM ET from Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, and the Phillies are favored on the money line at +108. The money line odds for a Cubs win are sitting at -127, and the over/under line is currently 8.5 runs.

Justin Steele will start for the Cubs, and he is facing off against Tanner Banks for the Phillies. Chicago is 80-77 this season, and they are 2nd in the NL Central, while the Phillies are 93-64 and are leading the NL East. MARQ will be televising this one.

Chicago vs. Philadelphia Key Information

Left-hander Justin Steele gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces the Phillies on the road. He has made 23 starts this season and has a record of 5-5 with a 3.03 ERA. Steele’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.10, and he has turned in 11 quality starts. In his last outing, he went 2 2/3 innings and didn’t give up a run, finishing with a no-decision. Before that, he had won two straight starts. The last time he gave up a home run was on August 22nd. Steele’s ERA at home is 3.1, compared to 3.3 on the road.

So far this season, the Cubs are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 13th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road, averaging 5.1 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .242, which is 13th in the league, and have the 13th most home runs in the league.

Gain the Edge in Betting! Join Today.

Over his last six games, Ian Happ has gone 6/21 with two homers and four runs scored. For the season, he leads the team with 85 RBIs and is also 2nd on the team with 25 homers. Seiya Suzuki is also near the top of the Cubs’ home run leaderboard, as he has 21 homers and is batting .278 for the season.

Tanner Banks is getting the start for the Phillies today and has made 60 appearances out of the bullpen this season. He has a record of 2-2, an ERA of 3.78, and a WHIP of 1.27. Banks most recently pitched on September 21st vs. the Mets, where he went one inning, giving up one earned run on one hit. He finished with a no-decision in that outing. Banks has finished with a no-decision in each of his last three outings. Per nine innings, Banks is averaging 9.78 strikeouts and 3.13 walks. At home, his ERA is 3.98 compared to 5.28 on the road.

Philadelphia comes into the game as one of the league’s top offenses, averaging 4.8 runs per game, which is 4th in the majors. They have been even better at home, putting up 5 runs per contest. Overall, they are 6th in home runs and have the 4th best team batting average in the league. The Phillies have been excellent at putting the ball in play this season, as their team BABIP of .31 is 2nd in the league.

Over his last five games, J.T. Realmuto has gone 6/19 with two homers and four runs scored. Nick Castellanos has also been hot of late, going 9/19 with a home run and four RBIs. Castellanos is also on a five-game hitting streak. For the season, Kyle Schwarber leads the team with 37 homers and is 10th in the league with 100 RBIs.

Our projections have this Cubs vs. Phillies matchup as the 6th highest-scoring game of the day, and with the line sitting at 8.5 runs, we are leaning towards taking the over. As for who we like on the money line, we are leaning towards the Cubs to pick up the win. Chicago’s offense has our 5th highest team run projection, and Justin Steele has the 4th best strikeout projection among today’s starters.

With Division Clinched, Phillies Face Cubs, Eye NL’s Best Record

After securing their first National League East crown in over a decade, the Philadelphia Phillies will look to maintain their momentum when they host the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night. The Phillies (93-64) clinched the division on Monday with a 6-2 victory over the Cubs (80-77), marking their return to the top of the division for the first time since 2011.

Following a tough 2-5 road trip against the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets, the Phillies finally got the job done at home. Aaron Nola pitched into the seventh inning, while J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber provided early home runs to secure the win. Reliever Carlos Estevez closed the game, triggering a subdued on-field celebration that quickly turned into a lively locker room party.

“We had some chances on the road to do it, but honestly it really feels nice to do it at home,” Nola said.

Phillies Focus on Best Record in National League

With the division locked up, the Phillies can now turn their attention to competing for the best record in the National League. Philadelphia is in a tight race with the Los Angeles Dodgers (93-63) for that honor, which could provide home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs.

Despite having the opportunity to rest some veteran players, the Phillies are expected to continue competing hard in their remaining games, with their eyes still set on a bigger prize.

“It’s just another step in what our ultimate goal is going to be this season, which is to win the World Series,” said Realmuto.

Philadelphia’s strong home-field advantage has been evident all season, as they currently boast the best home record in baseball (53-26).

Phillies to Use Bullpen Approach Against Cubs

The Phillies will start reliever Tanner Banks (2-2, 3.78 ERA) on Tuesday, likely employing a bullpen approach with multiple pitchers seeing action. Former starters Kolby Allard and Taijuan Walker could also take the mound as the Phillies manage their staff ahead of the playoffs.

Banks has struggled in limited action against the Cubs, posting a 5.40 ERA in three career appearances. In his only outing against Chicago this season, Banks gave up two runs on two hits while recording just one out for the Chicago White Sox on June 4.

Cubs Turn to Justin Steele in Critical Start

Justin Steele (5-5, 3.03 ERA) will take the ball for the Cubs, making his second start since returning from elbow tendinitis. In his last outing, Steele lasted only 2 2/3 innings against the Oakland Athletics, allowing two hits and three walks over 57 pitches before being pulled in a scoreless effort.

Despite the short start, Steele remained optimistic about his performance.

Optimize Your Betting Success! Discover today’s best MLB Betting Tips.

“It felt really good out there,” Steele said. “Felt good to be back out there feeling the jitters and stuff again. Main thing, felt healthy, felt really good out there.”

Steele has had success against the Phillies in the past, allowing just one run across 11 innings in two lifetime starts against them. However, he’ll have to be wary of Phillies slugger Nick Castellanos, who has gone 6-for-14 with a home run against Steele in his career.

Cubs Aim for Consistency Against Division Rivals

As the Cubs wind down their season, consistency remains a key concern as they look ahead to future battles against the NL Central champion Brewers. Despite their struggles, the Cubs know that bridging the gap with Milwaukee is essential if they want to contend for the division in the coming years.

“I mean, listen, the standings don’t lie. You are what you are,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “And I think when you look at the standings, there’s a big gap in the standings. There’s a big gap to the rest of the division.”