Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs MLB Picks for April 23/24

Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs
Date: Tuesday, April 23rd, 7:40 ET
Location: Wrigley Field
TV: MARQ
Money Line: Astros -115/Cubs -106
Total Line: 10

Betting Preview

Here’s our betting preview for the upcoming MLB clash between the Chicago Cubs and the Astros on Tuesday, April 23rd at Wrigley Field. We provide you with a comprehensive analysis, odds, and predictions to help with your handicapping decision or tail our expert based on the projected lineups and listed starting pitchers.

Betting Odds

The Astros and Cubs are set to face off in an interleague matchup at 7:40 PM ET on Tuesday. This one is being played at Wrigley Field in Chicago and features a Cubs club that is 13-9 compared to the Astros at 7-16. Houston is starting J.P. France, while the Cubs are going with Jordan Wicks.

Looking at the money line odds, the Astros are at -115 compared to the Cubs at -106. The over/under line is at 10 runs, and you can catch this one on MARQ.

Astros vs. Cubs Projected Lineup

Straight Up/Over-Under/ Runline Record

Houston Astros: 7-16 SU / OU 8-13 / Runline 8-15
Chicago Cubs: 13-9 SU / OU 11-11 / Runline 15-7

Astros Records & Recent Play

Houston closed out their series vs. the Nationals with a 6-0 loss on the road. Heading into the game, the Astros were the heavy favorite at -170. Things really got away from the Astros in the 1st inning, as the Nationals scored three runs in the inning. Houston’s offense didn’t score their first run until the 5th.

Hunter Brown got the start for the Astros and took the loss. He only lasted four innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits. Chas McCormick had two hits and scored the team’s only run. The Astros also issued nine walks in the3 loss.

Houston is on the road today, looking for a win, as they are just 7-16 this season, putting them in 5th place in the AL West. Currently, they are five games behind the Rangers for the division lead. The Astros have gone 4-3 against other teams in the AL West.

The Astros have lost two straight games, and this came after winning the final game of their series vs. the Nationals. So far, Houston has been favored in 18 of their games, and they are just 5-13 in those games. As the underdog, the Astros are 2-3 and have gone 4-9 at home compared to 3-7 on the road.

The Astros have been a poor bet on the run line this season, going 8-15 overall and 3-7 on the road. They have failed to cover in their last two road games and are just 5-13 against the run line as the favorite. Their average run margin in losses is -4.1.

The Astros have played 21 games this season with an over/under line. The over/under line has been set at 10 runs for the first time this season. Their games have averaged 9.6 runs per game this season. Houston has gone over the over/under line in eight of their 21 games this season. Their over/under record is 8-13 this season. Their games have had an average over/under line of 9 runs this season. The under has hit in two straight games for the Astros.

Cubs Records & Recent Play

The Cubs will be looking to get back on track after closing out their series vs. the Marlins with a 6-3 loss. This was especially tough, as it was the Marlins scoring three runs in the 4th to hand the Cubs the lead. Chicago was the -125 favorite at home going into the game.

Kyle Hendricks took the loss, going only four innings and giving up four earned runs on six hits. The Cubs also issued three walks in thejson to the Marlins. Nico Hoerner was hot at the plate, going 3/5 with two doubles, two RBIs, and a run scored. The Cubs also had Mike Tauchman going 2/4 with two RBIs.

Chicago is 13-9 overall this season, and they are 2nd in the NL Central, 1.5 games behind the Brewers. The Cubs are coming off losing two of four games in their series vs. the Marlins. This year, the Cubs have been good as the favorite, going 6-2, and they are 7-7 as the underdog.

At home, the Cubs are 7-3 this year, and they are at an even 6-6 on the road. Chicago’s overall series record is 4-2-1, and they have won two straight series on the road.

The Cubs have been a solid run line play this season, going 15-7 overall. They are 6-4 against the run line at home and 9-3 on the road. Chicago’s average run margin is +0.8 runs per game, and they have a run line win streak as the underdog. They are 10-4 vs. the run line as the underdog this season.

Chicago’s over/under record for the season is now 11-11 after the Cubs’ last game against the Marlins went over the total. The Cubs’ games have averaged 10.0 runs per game this season, and the over/under line for today’s game against the Astros is set at 10 runs. This is the first time this season that the Cubs have had an over/under line set at 10 runs.

Pitching Matchup

J.P. France is making his 4th start of the season for the Astros, and it will be his 3rd straight start on the road. He has yet to pick up a win this season, as he is coming off a no-decision vs. the Braves, where he went 5 innings and gave up 2 earned runs. France has yet to go more than 5 2/3 innings in a start this season.

Looking at Jordan Wicks’ season so far, he has yet to earn a win, but he’s also yet to take a loss. He has pitched 4 innings in each of his first 3 starts, and his last outing saw him give up 2 earned runs over 4 1/3 innings. He has 18 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched this season.

Astros vs. Cubs Offense Outlook

So far this season, the Astros are batting .266 as a team, which is the 3rd best mark in the league. They also have the fewest strikeouts per game in the league and are near the top of the league in on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS. Houston has been a better offensive team at home, averaging 4.8 runs per game, compared to 3.4 runs per game on the road.

Jose Altuve is leading the Astros in batting average at .351, and he is also tied for the team lead with five home runs. Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez are also tied for the team lead in homers and are batting .273 and .289, respectively. Tucker’s 17 RBIs are the best mark on the team and 7th best in the league. Over his last five games, Tucker is 6/18 with a home run. Yordan Alvarez has also gone deep in one of his last five games, but he is just 6/23 in that stretch.

Chicago comes into the game as one of the league’s best home run hitting teams, and they have been very good at home this season, averaging 6.2 runs per game. Overall, they are 6th in the league at 5.4 runs per contest. As a team, the Cubs are batting .247, which is 9th in the league, and they have the 8th best on-base percentage in the league.

Michael Busch and Cody Bellinger are tied for the team lead in RBIs, with both players having 15 RBIs. Busch is batting .309 for the season, while Bellinger is batting just .222. However, Bellinger has two homers in his last six games and is currently on a seven-game hitting streak. Nico Hoerner has also been hot of late, going 14/32 in his last seven games.

Free Astros vs. Cubs MLB Pick

Our prediction for this Astros vs. Cubs matchup is that the Astros pick up a win on the road over the Cubs. Given that, we recommend taking the Astros on the money line, with the payout currently sitting at -115.

Looking at the starting pitcher’s projections, we have Jordan Wicks finishing with four strikeouts and J.P. France with just four as well. However, France is projected to go 15th in the league in innings pitched, compared to Wicks, who is 15th.