The Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants headline Sunday Night Baseball tonight. The Giants escaped with a 5-4 win after nearly blowing a 5-0 lead. They maintained a 5-0 lead going into the top of the 7th, gave up a run, and then 3 more in the top of the 9th.
On back-to-back pitches?
Quite…Thrilling 🤠pic.twitter.com/Qn9LGJHcB7
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) July 31, 2022
The Cubs loaded up the bases with no outs and scored 3 runs to make it an entertaining finish at Oracle Park. The tying run was on second base with Ian Happ at the plate. It was the best-case scenario for the Cubs, but Happ grounded out to end the game.
San Francisco did their best to blow a win last night. They can’t afford to lose back-to-back games versus a team like the Cubs. A four-game split wouldn’t be the best for the Giants, either.
Chicago is 41-59 and 15.5 games behind the Brewers for the lead in the NL Central. They’re not going to the postseason as a wildcard, so somehow running down the Brewers will have to happen. This is going to require everything to go perfect over the next two months.
Spoiler: the Cubs aren’t going to pull that off and will be sellers at the deadline. They have already traded reliever Chris Martin to the Dodgers to help them with depth in their bullpen.
The Cubs are sending Adrian Sampson, who has been one of the best stories of the season for the Cubs, to the hill against Carlos Rodon. Head below for our free Cubs vs. Giants prediction on July 31, 2022.
Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants Live Betting Odds:
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Cubs | +1.5 (-130) | +160 | Over 7.5 (-105) |
| San Francisco Giants | -1.5 (+110) | -195 | Under 7.5 (-115) |
| Team Data | Chicago Cubs | San Francisco Giants |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Record | 41-59 | 50-51 |
| Away/Home Record | 21-27 | 28-23 |
| Batting Average | .243 | .232 |
| Batting Average Away/Home | .234 | .239 |
| Runs Per 9 | 4.28 | 4.71 |
| Team ERA | 4.35 | 3.90 |
| Team ERA Away/Home | 4.54 | 3.48 |
Cubs vs.Giants Prediction:
Adrian Sampson was chased out of the major leagues after another bad season in 2019 with the Texas Rangers. He posted an ERA of 5.89 with a 1.53 WHIP. It was the second time that Sampson had to leave the majors in his career.
He reappeared in 2018 with the Rangers in just five games with a 4.30 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. The following campaign was a poor spot for Sampson, though.
He’s a different pitcher now, with Sampson entering Oracle Park with an ERA of 3.20 and a 1.17 WHIP this season. Sampson is scheduled to make his ninth outing in 2022 tonight.
Besides just one attempt, Sampson hasn’t allowed more than 3 earned runs. In six of eight, he’s conceded 2 or fewer runs. He’s done well to save his career with the Cubs thus far.
Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants Betting Trends:
Cubs
- Record (Last 10): 7-3
- 4-1 overall in their previous five games on the road
- 0-4 overall in their previous four games after conceding at least 5 runs
- UNDER is 5-1 in their previous six games
- UNDER is 5-1 in their previous six games versus a team with a losing record
- UNDER is 5-1 in their previous six games versus a left-handed starter
Giants
- Record (Last 10): 2-8
- 5-1 overall in their previous six games at home
- 5-1 overall in their previous six games versus the NL Central
- UNDER is 5-2 in their previous seven games at home
- UNDER is 10-2-1 in their previous 13 games after scoring at least 5 runs
- UNDER is 7-3 in their previous ten games versus a right-handed starter
Carlos Rodon heads to the hill with an ERA of 3.18 and a 1.12 WHIP. He can look like a Cy Young candidate at times, but Rodon hasn’t been in his best form recently. I could see him bouncing back in this one, though.
Both of those starts were on the road, so going home to Oracle Park should benefit him nicely. Rodon has pitched well at home, with a 2.05 ERA and 1.25 WHIP across 44 innings of work. The Cubs are hitting .187 with 1 home run versus Rodon in 41 at-bats.
This should be a matchup between Sampson and Rodon at Oracle Park. It’s likely a low-scoring final score decided by a run or two. A 3-2 or 4-2 game with this one staying UNDER the total.
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