MLB picks: Cubs vs. Mets, White Sox vs. Astros
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire)
June 17th, 2021
It’s a fascinating Thursday night MLB slate, but we’ve managed to narrow things down to our top two selections for the evening!
First we’ll preview the series finale between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets. Then we’ll look at the series opener between the Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros.
Chicago Cubs (38-30) at New York Mets (35-25), 7:10 p.m. ET
Two excelling starters in the Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks and the Mets’ Marcus Stroman should help Under bettors cash with ease on Thursday night.
Hendricks has left an awful month of April behind, as he’s won seven of his last eight starts and six in a row. He’s recorded a quality start in each of his last six outings. The Mets are 26th in runs per game at 3.88.
Backing Hendricks is a Chicago bullpen that’s tops in the majors by ERA this season at 2.55.
Might walk out to this music next start. Lol 🕺🏾😂 https://t.co/qeWenwqVjf
— Marcus Stroman (@STR0) June 13, 2021
Stroman has built on a solid season in June, pitching to a 1.89 ERA over his first three efforts. He’s allowed only one home run in 28 2/3 innings of work at Citi Field in 2021, and his ERA there is 1.88. The Cubs are 23rd in runs per game on the road this season at 3.91.
Behind Stroman is a reliable Mets relief corps that’s ninth by ERA this year at 3.72.
MLB pick: Under
Chicago White Sox (43-25) at Houston Astros (39-28), 8:10 p.m. ET
Based on the home and road splits, Astros starter Jose Urquidy has a decisive advantage over White Sox starter Dylan Cease. Bettors should take advantage of this fair moneyline price on Houston here.
Cease lowered his season ERA to 3.38 thanks to two strong efforts against the punchless Detroit Tigers (two runs over 12 innings combined). But he’ll face the Astros’ top-rated offense by runs per game (5.55) in this one, and Cease sports a 5.79 ERA on the road through 28 innings this season.
Bottom of the 10th. Bases loaded. Down by one.
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 16, 2021
WALK-OFF. GRAND SLAM. JOSE ALTUVE. pic.twitter.com/OucAwt42cV
Cease should watch out for the red-hot Jose Altuve, who’s batting .286 with seven home runs over the last two weeks.
Urquidy has never faced Chicago before, giving him the leg-up on the White Sox lineup. He owns an outstanding 2.83 ERA and .200 opponent batting average through 28 2/3 innings of work at Minute Maid Park in 2021.
Once Urquidy departs, the Astros’ fifth-ranked bullpen by ERA over the last two weeks (3.15) should shut things down.
MLB pick: Astros -139
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