MLB picks: Reds vs. Cubs, White Sox vs. Royals

Let’s turn our attention to a pair of central-division matchups, as we highlight our best MLB bets for Wednesday night!

Leading off is a look at a National League Central showdown between the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs. Then we’ll discuss an American League Central skirmish between the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals.

Cincinnati Reds (52-49) at Chicago Cubs (50-52), 8:05 p.m. ET

The Reds should at least be able to grab an early lead against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Tyler Mahle will get the nod for Cincinnati, and he has allowed just one earned run in his last two starts against Chicago (10 innings). He struck out 15 batters in that span and walked only two.

Mahle has done his best work on the road in 2021, with a 2.26 ERA and .189 opponent batting average. His home ERA is 6.07, and opponents are batting .269 against him at Great American Ball Park.

Zach Davies will counter for the Cubs, and he sports a 4.24 ERA over his last five starts. He has averaged just 4 2/3 innings per outing in that span.

Davies will have to pitch carefully to Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who has been on a tear in his last four games, with five home runs for nine RBIs.

Cincinnati backers will probably want to take the Reds’ wretched relief corps — which owns a 6.85 ERA since the All-Star break (29th in the majors) — out of the equation and cash in on the first five innings market.

MLB pick: Reds -121 (first five innings)

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Chicago White Sox (60-41) at Kansas City Royals (43-56), 8:10 p.m. ET

The White Sox ended the Royals’ six-game winning streak Tuesday night, but Kansas City has a shot to start a new streak as a home underdog.

Lucas Giolito will start for the South Siders, and he has been vulnerable on the road this season, with a 4.58 ERA and .252 opponent batting average. That contrasts sharply with his 3.14 ERA and .197 opponent batting average at home in 2021. Giolito will have to watch out for Jorge Soler, who has slugged six home run and has a .304 average in his last seven games.

Once Giolito departs, the White Sox flagging relief corps (27th by ERA, at 5.85, since the All-Star break) will take over.

The improving Kris Bubic will toe the rubber for the Royals, fresh off consecutive six-inning starts with one run allowed. He has managed to fool many of Chicago’s best hitters in prior meetings, as Jose Abreu, Eloy Jimenez, and Yoan Moncada are a combined 2-for-24 (.083) against Bubic, with seven strikeouts.

K.C.’s bullpen ranks 14th in ERA since the All-Star break (3.82), so the Royals should be able to hold the fort late.

MLB pick: Royals +155