Chicago Cubs vs Cincinnati Reds Game 1 Predictions, Odds & Picks (August 29)

• Potential Cy Young battle
• Cubs looking to get back on track
• Now or never for Cincinnati

Cubs at Reds Odds

The odds for this match are provided by BetMGM. Click on the odds below to head to BetMGM and place a bet.

Cubs at Reds Predictions and Picks

The weakest part of both the Cubs and Reds is their bullpens. Fortunately, with a seven-inning game and their aces on the mound, there’s a good chance we don’t see a reliever in game one. These pitchers have held opponents to one run or fewer in nine of their combined 11 starts, so we will take the under.

Our Pick

Bet on the under – Under 6 (-110).

Betting record through 8/28/20 (19-16-1).

Trends

The over is 4-0 in the last four meetings

How to Watch Cubs vs Reds

Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better

If we were ranking the pitchers who had been the best in the National League this season, both Yu Darvish and Trevor Bauer would be on the shortlist. Since picking up the loss on Opening Day, Darvish has been sensational.

The Cubs ace has picked up the win in each of his past five starts, giving up one run or fewer in each contest, twice holding the opponent to two hits or fewer and going at least six innings in each start. On the season, Darvish is 5-1 (second-best in the MLB), with a 1.70 ERA (fifth in MLB) and 0.92 WHIP. He’s struck out 44 batters and walked just six in 37 innings.

Not to be outdone, Trevor Bauer has picked up just one loss on the season as well, although that came in his last start. Bauer gave up four runs in 6.1 innings against Milwaukee.

Outside of that, Bauer had given up just two runs through four starts on the year. Twice he pitched complete-game shutouts, both coming in double-header situations. First, Bauer dominated the Tigers, giving up just two hits and two walks while striking out seven in a 4-0 Reds win.

Just more than two weeks later, Bauer gave up one hit and three walks while striking out nine in a 5-0 victory over the Royals. On the season, the outspoken Bauer is 3-1 with a 1.65 ERA and 0.73WHIP.

The last time these two faced off, Darvish was pitching for one of the two teams in Texas, not Illinois, and Bauer was on the other team in Ohio.

Both threw quality starts: Darvish went six innings giving up two runs and striking out six but it was Bauer who picked up the victory, throwing 6.1 innings and giving up just one run as the Indians beat the Rangers 5-3.

Cubs Lead Slipping Away

How about that 13-3 start the Cubs got off to? Feels like a distant memory at this point. The Reds beat the Cubs 6-5 on Friday to pull within four games of the division lead after sitting seven games back just three days ago. For the Cubs, it was their third consecutive loss and brings their record in the past 15 games to 5-10.

Chicago now has three teams (Cardinals, Brewers, and Reds) within four games of the top of the NL Central standings.

If there is a positive sign to be taken for Chicago, however, it’s the offense that is slowly starting to pick back up. The Cubs have scored 11 total runs the past two contests, however, the bullpen failed to hold onto an early lead on both occasions.

Reds Aren’t Selling Just Yet

This has been a disappointing first half of the shortened season for the Cincinnati Reds. Often referred to as one of the sneaky picks to win the NL Central and make a run in the postseason, the Reds had never been able to gather any momentum.

First, it was two heart-breaking losses to the Tigers in the opening series which set the tone for the team’s inability to get over the .500 mark. Then three games were postponed due to a Covid-19 scare and then the team went 2-6 in its first eight games after that hiatus.

Despite all of that, Cincinnati has won three straight and reports are they don’t want to trade Bauer or any other trade chip and are still all in on 2020. Closing the gap by three games in three days helps that matter in a big way and there’s a chance to really gain some steam if it can sweep the doubleheader on Saturday.