Free MLB Pick: Cubs vs. Phillies Odds
Looking for Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies Free MLB predictions? MLB betting sees the Cubs taking on the Phillies on Friday, July 22nd, 2022 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all MLB baseball matchups all season long so stay tuned for more FREE daily MLB predictions like this Cubs-Phillies free pick.
2022 MLB Handicapping
(35-57) Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies (49-43)
Date: Friday, July 22nd, 2022
Time: 7:05 PM ET
Venue: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Projected Pitchers: Justin Steele (CHC) vs. Kyle Gibson (PHI)
MLB Moneyline Odds: Cubs +115 / Phillies -135
MLB run line Betting Odds: Cubs +1.5 (-165) / Phillies -1.5 (+140)
MLB Baseball Gambling Total: O/U: 9
The Cubs will be on the road to face the Phillies to resume play on Friday evening.
Justin Steele and Kyle Gibson are the opposing pitchers in this contest.
Philadelphia is the favorite in this one, but it is not by as much as some would think. So far, I have not seen much movement with the total of 9.
Chicago Cubs
After having a few days to reflect a little more, my view on this Cubs team has not changed a ton. I still do not think much of them and that likely will not change all that much for the remainder of the season.
At the present time, they are a team that has not done much to impress me and that is largely because they do not have the pieces to do so. They are just so devoid of legit major league talent that it makes it very hard for them to compete on a daily basis.
What you will hear the organization say is they are rebuilding the team, but they do not exactly have the tools to do so. Sure, it is possible that a lot of their prospects could end up having a big impact at the major league level, but I would not count on it. For me, I just see a cycle of irrelevancy surrounding the Cubs for a long time.
Until they really beef up the pitching and the offense, it is going to be more of the same from this group. Chicago cannot keep trotting out the same team they have and expect the results to be all that different. They know they have a lot of needs, but whether they do something about it is another story entirely.
After some time off, this group once again will get a chance to face off with an NL East opponent and they hope it goes a lot smoother than it did with the Mets, as they dropped 3 of 4 to them. Although many of the games were close, it was very clear New York was the more talented and prepared team in that series, which should not come as a surprise.
It would be nice for them to start off the “second half” of the season on a positive note, but I am not necessarily expecting it. Although they are not playing a perfect team, they are going to have their hands full in this one for sure.
Given how potent the offense for Philadelphia can be, it could be a long weekend for the pitching. They know they have to step up there, but I would not guarantee that one.
Justin Steele gets the ball in the opener and I would agree that at times he has been better than what the traditional stats like record and ERA show, but he still has a lot of work to do. He has gotten plenty of opportunities, but I still do not think I would describe him as a reliable arm.
Philadelphia Phillies
Without question, the Phillies had a rollercoaster first half of the season and they will look to be a lot smoother in what is going to be a critical second half for them.
For a large part before the all-star break, I saw a team that did not play totally up to their expectations and that has to be frustrating for them, especially because it has been such a common theme for a while. Given the type of players they have on this club, the thought that they should be more consistent is very realistic.
Despite some clear bumps in the road, there is no question they began to turn things around since they fired Joe Giardi and they did begin to play more like the team people thought they would. For me, it is going to be interesting to see if they can keep it up in the remaining 70 games.
Even with some injuries, I have liked what I have seen from the offense thus far and I do not see that changing a ton. There is no doubt they are going to need Bryce Harper back in the lineup, but I still do not see this group having a ton of trouble scoring runs.
With that said, a big question mark is the pitching and I just do not know what to expect. We all know how good Wheeler is, but guys like Gibson, Eflin, Suarez, etc. still proved to be shaky at times and I am not sure they are the most trustworthy. For a team that has aspirations of making it to the playoffs and beyond, they would like their rotation to be a lot more solid.
Another area that I question is the bullpen. They did appear to find it there for a little bit, but they have not exactly been a unit that can be counted on. They do have the arms to be decent there, but I would like to see them acquire an arm out of the pen at the deadline because it clearly is not a strength of their team at the moment.
In their last series, the Phils did just what they needed to do against the Marlins and they looked quite impressive in doing so. That approach has to be the same when they take on a very beatable team starting on Friday.
The aforementioned Kyle Gibson gets the ball in game 1 and I feel he has been too trick-or-treat this season. Look, the numbers are not awful and he has been solid at times, but I have expected more of him to this point and simply put, he is going to have to step up and be effective on a more consistent level.
MLB Baseball Betting Trends:
- The Cubs are 1-9 SU in their last 10 games.
- The Cubs are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games on the road.
- The Phillies are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games at home.
- The total has gone over in 8 of Philadelphia’s last 9 games against Chicago.
Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies MLB Prediction:
This series is going to be a tricky one for the Cubs and I am not very high on them in the opener.
To me, Philadelphia is just a much more talented team and if they are on their game, they should be able to show it.
As noted earlier, Gibson has been up-and-down this season, but I do like him here. I was encouraged by what he was able to do in his last start against the Fish and there is no reason he cannot at least be solid against this offense.
With the price being where it is, I like the Phillies on the Moneyline in the opener.
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