Wrigley Field hosts an afternoon battle between National League foes on Friday. The Chicago Cubs welcome the Miami Marlins to town for the opener of a three-game set. Chicago is 15-16 this season and aiming to stop a three-game losing streak. Miami is 16-16 and also looking to stop the bleeding after three consecutive losses. Justin Steele (4-0, 1.49 ERA) is slated to take the mound for Chicago, while Edward Cabrera (2-2, 4.67 ERA) is set to start for Miami.
First pitch is at 2:20 p.m. ET in Chicago. Caesars Sportsbook lists Chicago as a -160 favorite on the money line, while the over/under, or total number of runs Vegas thinks will be scored, is 9.5 in the latest Marlins vs. Cubs odds. Before you make any Marlins vs. Cubs picks, you need to see the MLB predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times. It went 331-285 on top-rated MLB money-line picks (+357) over the past two seasons, and it is on a 28-22 run dating back to the end of last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen profitable returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Marlins vs. Cubs and just locked in its picks and MLB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several MLB betting lines and trends for Marlins vs. Cubs:
- Marlins vs. Cubs money line: Cubs -160, Marlins +135
- Marlins vs. Cubs over/under: 9.5 runs
- Marlins vs. Cubs run line: Cubs -1.5
- MIA: The Marlins are 6-7 in road games
- CHC: The Cubs are 8-8 in home games
- Marlins vs. Cubs picks: See picks at SportsLine
Featured Game | Chicago Cubs vs. Miami Marlins
Why you should back the Marlins
The Marlins are keyed on offense by standout infielder Luis Arraez. The 26-year-old won the AL batting title in 2022 while earning an All-Star selection, and Arraez is off to a red-hot start with his new team. He has a .424/.482/.535 slash line in 112 plate appearances, regularly getting on base to ignite Miami’s offense.
The Marlins also have tremendous team speed that leads to 28 stolen bases, and 25-year-old right-hander Edward Cabrera takes the ball on the mound. He has a 3.47 ERA combined over the last two seasons, striking out 10.1 batters per nine innings across 20 starts. Cabrera also has a stellar 3.48 ERA in all starts away from Miami, and he has enjoyed success against Chicago in his career, posting a 3.00 ERA when opposed by the Cubs. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back the Cubs
Chicago has the superior offense in this matchup, ranking near the top of the National League in several categories so far in 2023. In addition, the Cubs have the benefit of hosting this matchup at Wrigley Field, and Chicago has an early Cy Young candidate on the mound in Justin Steele. He leads the NL with a 1.49 ERA this season, and has allowed two earned runs or fewer in each 2023 start. He has a 0.52 ERA in three home starts this season, and Steele boasts a 2.78 ERA over the last two seasons combined.
Steele has also enjoyed success (1.69 ERA) against Miami in his career, and he owns a sparkling 0.96 WHIP in 36.1 innings this season. In addition to his own bonafides, Steele is facing a struggling Marlins offense. Miami is dead-last in the National League with 108 runs scored and an ugly .309 on-base percentage. The Marlins are also near the bottom of the league with only 28 home runs. See which team to pick here.
How to make Marlins vs. Cubs picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the run total, and it says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only get the model’s MLB picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Marlins vs. Cubs? And which side has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of Marlins vs. Cubs you need to jump on Friday, all from the model that has crushed its MLB picks, and find out.
