wsn-newsletter Subscribe to WSN.

Rangers vs Cubs: Runs and Big Hits Could Be Common this Weekend

Written by: Max Heering
Published April 8, 2023
6 min read
  • The Texas Rangers have won three of their first five games this season.     

  • The Chicago Cubs have both of their games this season by an average of 5.5 runs.

  • Chicago and Texas have not faced each other since 2021.

Texas Rangers vs Chicago Cubs Odds

Odds Taken from FanDuel Sportsbook.

Team

Spread

Total

Moneyline

Texas Rangers

+1.5 

BET HERE

O 7

BET HERE

+106

BET HERE

Chicago Cubs

-1.5

BET HERE

U 7

BET HERE

-124

BET HERE

Texas Rangers vs Chicago Cubs Picks

Check out the best betting bonuses and promo codes for MLB, here!

Rangers vs Cubs Predictions

Rangers vs Cubs Moneyline Analysis

This weekend is set to feature one of the most unique matchups between playoff teams from in the AL and NL. The Texas Rangers (4-2) will play in their tough series yet this season as well as their first road series as they take on the Chicago Cubs (2-3). The two teams will start the series on Friday, April 7th, but the bulk of the series will be on the second weekend of the 2023 MLB season.

This series is set to feature two highly efficient batting teams, which is a key reason for their early season success so far this season. In six games this season, the Rangers accumulated 52 hits (seventh in the AL), 36 runs (third in the AL) and a batting average of .265 (fourth in the AL). This is a team that is able to establish an impressive batting rhythm in their previous series against the Philadelphia Phillies and the Baltimore Orioles.

Two of the best batters this season for the Rangers are third baseman Josh Jung and centerfielder Adolis Garcia. Jung (.318 batting average) and Garcia (.348 batting average) have combined for 12 runs, 15 hits, three home runs, nine RBIs, 26 total bases, and an on-base percentage of .375 each. They will have a tough matchup against the Cubs’ Saturday starting pitcher Justin Steele, who has only allowed three hits, one walk, and no runs while delivering eight strikeouts in six innings pitched. Steele could continue his hot start to the 2023 season by suppressing the talent batting of the Rangers.

The batting team of the Cubs is just as efficient as the talented batting team of the Rangers. In five games played this season, the Cubs accounted for 28 runs (fifth in the NL), 48 hits (eighth in the NL), four home runs, a team batting average of .273, and a team on-base percentage of .343.

Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson is having a great start to the season and his new team after spending his first seven years with the Atlanta Braves. In five games this season, Swanson has accumulated six runs, 10 hits, two RBIs, four walks, only two strikeouts, a batting average of .500, and an on-base percentage of .585. Swanson is just the kind of star playmaking skills that the Cubs have in the fielding and batting game.

Cubs leftfielder Ian Happ has accounted for a batting average of .438 and an on-base percentage of .609 in five games. Third baseman Patrick Wilson has accounted for a batting average of .375 and an on-base percentage of .444 in five games this season. Three players for the Cubs have accounted for six runs this season while another player had accounted for five runs.

Martin Perez is set to be the starting pitcher for the Rangers going into Saturday’s game versus the Cubs. Jon Gray will be the starting pitcher for the Cubs on Sunday. While four-time MLB All-Star and two-time NL Cy Young award winner Jacob deGrom is the star pitcher for the Cubs, it has been Perez and Gray that has been two of the most efficient pitchers for the Cubs.

This series will come down to which great batting team will be more efficient in keeping their rhythm as well as avoiding serious fielding issues that could create opportunities for the other teams to score.

Rangers vs Cubs Over/Under Analysis

The over/under for the first game of the series on Friday is set at seven. For two teams that can get players on base and establish a sold batting rhythm, that number is significantly lower than anticipated. The talented pitching teams from both teams will look to make potential high-volume scoring series in defensive domination.

The Rangers are coming into this series as the favorite and very likely for the entire weekend as well as their talent throughout the field makes a convincing case. Chicago is a much more dangerous team than its overall record indicates.

Texas is currently on a rough stretch in terms of production through the beginning of the season going into the series at Chicago. In the first two wins over Philadelphia, Texas has accounted for a total of 33 runs. In the last four games, however, the Rangers have averaged two runs per game. The Rangers have too much talent in their batting game to be going through a drop in consistency in a major way.

Chicago, on the other hand, has seen a more consistent scoring performance by 10 runs in the three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers to start the season. In the last two games against Philadelphia, the Cubs have accumulated 18 runs.

In a set of games between two reliable batting teams, it is smart to bet the over of seven runs in either of the games this weekend.

Head-to-Head: Texas Rangers vs Chicago Cubs

Texas Rangers 

Head-to-Head

Chicago Cubs

Bruce Bochy

Managers

David Ross


Leaders


Mitch Garver (.357)

Batting Avg

Dansby Swanson (.500)

Mitch Garver & Josh Jung (2)

Home Runs

Patrick Wisdom (2)

Mitch Garver (6)

RBIs

Patrick Wisdom, Cody Bellinger, & Trey Mancini (5)

Mitch Garver (.400)

OBP

Ian Happ (.609)

Adolis Garcia (8)

Hits

Dansby Swanson (10)

Jacob deGrom, Martin Perez, Nathan Eovaldi, & Cole Ragans (1)

Wins

Marcus Stroman & Adbert Alzolay (1)

Cole Ragans (0.00)

ERA 

Marcus Stroman (0.00)

Jacob deGrom (18)

Strikeouts

Marcus Stroman, Justin Steele, & Adbert Alzolay (8)

How We Rate
Affiliate Disclaimer
21+

🔥 Claimed by 177 people this week!

Logo #2

Caesars

4.5/5

$1,000 First Bet on Caesars OR $250 in Bonus Bets

21+ | T&Cs Apply. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.

How to Watch Texas Rangers vs Chicago Cubs

  • What - Texas Rangers vs Chicago Cubs

  • Where - Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

  • When - Saturday, April 8, 4:05 PM & Sunday, April 9, 2:20 PM

  • How to Watch - MLB Network, MLB.TV, MLB Extra Innings, BallySports Midwest, BallySports Southwest

Max Heering WSN

Max Heering

Sports Betting Analyst

Expertise:
MLB
NHL
Betting Picks
Max Heering graduated from the University of Kansas Sport Management program in May 2020. Max follows and writes about the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, college football, and college basketball. In his free time, you can catch Max draining threes on the basketball court.
Email: [email protected]
Nationality: American
Education: Sports Management
Favourite Sportsbook: FanDuel Sportsbook
Favourite Casino: FanDuel Casino
Experience: 4 years
We've been featured on:
espn logo
reuters logo
cbs-news logo
forbes logo
entrepreneur logo
entrepreneur logo
We only list licensed sportsbooks
WorldSportsNetwork
WorldSportsNetwork
WorldSportsNetwork
WorldSportsNetwork
WorldSportsNetwork
Co2neutral

We support responsible gambling. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. If you need help, call 1-800-Gambler.

WSN.com is managed by Gentoo Media. Unless declared otherwise, all of the visible content on this site, such as texts and images, including the brand name and logo, belongs to Innovation Labs Limited (a Gentoo Media company) - Company Registration Number C44130, VAT ID: MT18874732, @GIG Beach Triq id-Dragunara, St. Julians, STJ3148, Malta.

Advertising Disclosure: WSN.com contains links to partner websites. When a visitor to our website clicks on one of these links and makes a purchase at a partner site, World Sports Network is paid a commission.

Copyright © 2024