Colorado Rockies vs Chi. Cubs Cubs Picks and Predictions September 14th 2024

First pitch for Saturday’s Cubs vs. Rockies matchup is set for 8:10 PM ET from Coors Field in Denver. The Cubs are favored on the money line (-154) and have a record of 75-72, while the Rockies are 56-92 overall and have won two straight. Kyle Freeland is starting for the Rockies, and the Cubs are going with Jameson Taillon.

Chicago is 2nd in the NL Central, while the Rockies are 5th in the NL West. The over/under line is currently at 11 runs, and the forecast for Saturday’s game in Denver calls for temperatures in the mid to upper 80s with a few clouds.

Chicago vs. Colorado Key Information

• Teams: Cubs at Rockies
• Where: Coors Field Denver
• Date: Saturday, September 14th
• Betting Odds CHC -154 | COL +131 O/U 11

The Cubs Can Win If…

The Cubs are sending Jameson Taillon to the mound today, and he comes into the game with a record of 10-8 and an ERA of 3.57. So far, he has made 25 starts, and opponents are batting .244 this season. In his 25 appearances, Taillon has turned in 13 quality starts. Looking back at his last outing, Taillon gave up just one earned run in six innings of work, picking up the win in the process. Before that, he had given up at least four earned runs in three straight starts. The right-hander has been much better at home, coming in with an ERA of 2.8 compared to 5.01 on the road.

Chicago comes into the game averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 13th in the league. However, they have been even better on the road, putting up 5.1 runs per contest. The Cubs have been one of the better home run hitting teams in the league, but are batting just .241 as a team.

Over his last nine games, Cody Bellinger is hitting .355 with three homers and 10 RBIs. For the season, Bellinger is batting just .219, but his recent hot streak has him up to 23 homers and 69 RBIs. Seiya Suzuki is also near the top of the Cubs’ home run leaderboard, as he has 20 homers and is batting .273 for the season.

• The Cubs are 4-6 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Cubs are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• Chicago has an over/under record of 6-4 in their last ten games.
• The Cubs have an average of 6.2 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Cubs are 8-2
• Looking back across the Cubs last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
• Chicago has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Cubs have averaged 9.6 runs per game on offense

The Rockies Can Win If…

Kyle Freeland will be looking to build off his last outing, where he gave up just one earned run in six innings of work. In that September 8th outing vs. the Brewers, he only gave up four hits and three walks. Looking back over his last four starts, Freeland has given up two earned runs in three of them. The left-hander’s record for the season is 5-7, and his ERA is 4.97. This year, opponents are batting .276 off Freeland. Out of his 18 starts, he has nine quality starts and is averaging 7.12 strikeouts per nine innings.

So far this season, the Rockies are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 21st in the league. However, they have been much better at home, averaging 5 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .242, which is 13th in the league, and have the 13th best slugging percentage in the league. The Rockies have been very good at putting the ball in play, as they have the league’s 2nd best BABIP.

As a team, the Rockies have three players with at least 22 home runs, with Ezequiel Tovar and Michael Toglia both leading the team with 23 homers. Tovar is also batting .267 for the season, and Toglia comes into the game with a batting average of just .221. Over his last seven games, Hunter Goodman has gone 7/24 with three homers and eight RBIs. Ryan McMahon is currently on a four-game hitting streak, while Brenton Doyle has a three-game streak.

• The Rockies are 5-5 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Rockies are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• Colorado has an over/under record of 3-7 in their last ten games.
• The Rockies have an average of 4.2 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Rockies are 4-6
• Looking back across the Rockies last five games as the favorite, they are 1-4
• Colorado has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Rockies have averaged 2.5 runs per game on offense

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The Lean

Our lean would be to take the Cubs to win straight-up over the Rockies today, and we are also leaning towards taking the under. This game is projected to have the 7th most combined runs in today’s slate and the 9th most hits. However, we have this as the 5th lowest-scoring game in terms of home runs. Kyle Freeland has the 4th best chance to pick up a win among today’s starters, but we are still leaning towards the Cubs to come out on top.

Rockies Aim to Crush Cubs’ Slim Playoff Hopes in Game Two of Series

The Colorado Rockies may be out of the playoff picture, but they’re not done making life difficult for teams still in the hunt. After taking down the Chicago Cubs 9-5 in the series opener on Friday night, the Rockies are looking to further derail the Cubs’ postseason dreams in the second game of their three-game series on Saturday.

For the Cubs (75-72), time is running out. They’re six games behind the New York Mets for the final National League wild-card spot, with only 15 games left to turn things around. Saturday’s matchup is crucial as they battle to keep their season alive against a Rockies team (56-92) with nothing to lose.

Cubs Desperately Hanging On to Playoff Hopes

The Cubs are in a tight spot, needing every win they can get to stay in the playoff race. They’re not just chasing the Mets, but also competing with the Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks for that last wild-card berth. With only 15 games left, there’s no more room for mistakes.

Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson knows what’s at stake but emphasized that the team’s focus is still on what they can control: winning. “We know the math, but that doesn’t change what we’re trying to do. We’re taking it one game at a time. We’re here to win.”

Saturday’s game is a must-win, and the Cubs will turn to right-hander Jameson Taillon (10-8, 3.57 ERA) to keep their playoff hopes alive. Taillon has been solid for Chicago this year, and he’s had success against the Rockies in the past, boasting a 3-1 record with a 1.80 ERA in four career starts against Colorado.

Rockies Playing Spoiler, Trying to Avoid 100 Losses

The Rockies may have been eliminated from playoff contention long ago, but they’re still finding motivation by playing spoiler. They’ve already taken a critical win from the Cubs and knocked off the Detroit Tigers earlier in the week. Colorado started the season terribly, going 8-28, but they’ve fought back to avoid a complete collapse.

With 14 games left, the Rockies have their sights set on avoiding a second straight 100-loss season. They’ll need to win at least seven more games to make that happen, and taking another win from the Cubs would be a step in the right direction.

On Saturday, the Rockies will hand the ball to lefty Kyle Freeland (5-7, 4.97 ERA). Freeland, a Denver native, has been pitching well since returning from the injured list in June, despite dealing with a recurring blister on his left pinkie. In his last start, he held the Milwaukee Brewers to one unearned run over five innings, earning the win in a 4-1 victory.

“My body and mechanics feel great,” Freeland said, downplaying the blister issue. “Since coming back, I’ve been seeing the results I want.”

Freeland will be making his seventh career start against the Cubs. Historically, he’s struggled against them, going 1-4 with a 6.34 ERA, but with his recent form, he’ll be looking to change that narrative on Saturday.

Pitching Matchup: Jameson Taillon vs. Kyle Freeland

Jameson Taillon has been one of the Cubs’ most reliable starters this season, with a 10-8 record and a solid 3.57 ERA. While he hasn’t faced the Rockies this year, his career numbers against them are strong, and the Cubs will be counting on him to shut down Colorado’s offense and get them back in the win column.

On the other side, Kyle Freeland has battled through injuries but has been effective since coming off the IL. Though his history against the Cubs hasn’t been great, Freeland has been pitching better as of late and will try to play spoiler once again, sending Chicago’s playoff hopes further down the drain.

Cubs’ Urgency for a Win

The Cubs know how critical Saturday’s game is. With teams like the Mets, Braves, and Diamondbacks all in the mix for the wild card, another loss to the Rockies could be disastrous for their playoff chances. They’ll need Taillon to be sharp, but they also need their offense to step up after a frustrating performance on Friday night.

Chicago’s bats have been inconsistent at times, and they can’t afford to let Freeland get comfortable on the mound. The Cubs have to bring their best if they want to avoid falling even further out of contention.

Rockies Looking to Finish Strong

For the Rockies, this series is about playing with pride and avoiding another 100-loss season. Players like Freeland have something to prove, and they’ve shown they can still compete, especially when the pressure is on their opponents. Colorado has already knocked the Cubs down once in this series, and they’ll be eager to do it again on Saturday.

Freeland has been pitching through discomfort, but his resilience has been impressive. If he can shut down the Cubs’ offense again, the Rockies will deal a huge blow to Chicago’s playoff aspirations while moving one step closer to finishing their season on a high note.

You can always refer to the current MLB Odds to stay up to date with the latest betting lines.

Key Themes:

Cubs’ Playoff Desperation: The Cubs are six games behind the Mets for the final wild-card spot with just 15 games left. Every game is now a must-win, and another loss to the Rockies could severely hurt their postseason chances.

Rockies Playing Spoiler: The Rockies are out of the playoff picture but are determined to finish the season strong. They’ve already handed the Cubs a damaging loss and will look to do it again on Saturday.

Pitching Duel: Jameson Taillon brings a strong track record against the Rockies and will need a solid performance to keep the Cubs in the hunt. Meanwhile, Kyle Freeland has been solid since returning from injury and will try to keep frustrating Chicago’s offense.

Cubs’ Urgency: Chicago knows the stakes, and they need both strong pitching and timely hitting to stay alive in the playoff race. Saturday’s game is make-or-break for their postseason hopes.

Conclusion

The Cubs are facing a pivotal moment in their season, and every game counts as they cling to their playoff hopes. After a tough loss on Friday, Chicago needs a win on Saturday to stay within striking distance of the final wild-card spot. Jameson Taillon will be key, but the Cubs’ offense needs to back him up against a Rockies team that’s playing with nothing to lose.

On the other side, the Rockies are focused on finishing the season with pride and avoiding another 100-loss campaign. Kyle Freeland has been in good form since his return from injury, and he’ll be looking to shut down the Cubs’ offense again, playing the role of spoiler in Chicago’s playoff journey.