Cubs

Jul 08, 2023

An intriguing matchup between a pair of unfamiliar foes will be in the works on Tuesday night as the Chicago Cubs make the trip to LA to take on the Angels of Anaheim. Join us for our MLB odds series where our Cubs-Angels prediction and pick will be revealed.

Most recently, the Cubs split a four-game series with the Padres but were bested in the finale by a score of 5-0. With the hopes to get the offense going again, Chicago will attempt to baffle the Halos with righty Hayden Wesneski on the mound. Thus far, Wesneski is 2-2 with a 4.81 ERA to begin his 2023 campaign. Overall, the Cubbies are headed in the wrong direction with a 26-33 record which is good for fourth-place in the NL Central.

On the other side of things, Los Angeles is coming off of a difficult series versus the Houston Astros as they were just barely able to salvage a four-game sweep by defeating the defending champs 2-1. Sitting one game above the .500 mark at 31-0 overall, the Angels will call upon the southpaw in Tyler Anderson. Although Anderson is 2-1, he comes into this one with a below-average 5.47 ERA. Alas, the Angels are banking on the fact that Anderson can put together a start of old similar to his dominant times with the Dodgers last season.

Here are the Cubs-Angels MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

Chicago Cubs: -1.5 (+150)

Los Angeles Angels: +1.5 (-182)

Over: 9.5 (-118)

Under: 9.5 (-104)

TV: Bally Sports West, Marquee Sports Network

Stream: MLB.TV, ESPN+

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Time: 9:38 ET/6:38 PT

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First things first, the Chicago Cubs just need to get out of their own way and play with a sense of more consistency. Before their 5-0 loss, the Cubs certainly looked the part of a stellar squad with a dominant 7-1 victory. However, prior to that, Chicago was blanked yet again by a score of 6-0. Clearly, it seems that the Cubbies' offense and pitching can't get on the same page recently, and it will end up being extremely important for Chicago to put together a fundamentally sound outing to defeat the Halos on the road.

Outside of the fact that Chicago needs to be at their best in every facet of the game, the Cubs need to do what they are best at which is pitching up to par. So far, the Cubbies have logged 26 combined quality starts which is the eighth-most in all of baseball. Similarly enough, be on the lookout for Hayden Wesneski to pitch a quality start as this will take the pressure off of the offense and most importantly the arms of the bullpen. In fact, Wesneski gave up only one run in his last start, but he pitched only 3 2/3 of that ballgame. If the Cubs are going to make a statement on Tuesday night, then that responsibility may fall on the shoulders of their 25-year-old righty.

Rexwell Villas · 33 minutes ago

Rexwell Villas · 5 hours ago

Joey Mistretta · 7 hours ago

With all the talent in the world including two of the best current players to walk the face of the Earth, the Angels have still found ways to disappoint over the last couple years. Currently, the Angels certainly have their work cut out for them as they even sit five games behind the final spot in the AL Wild Card.

Nevertheless, no matter what happens at the end of the year to this team, there are certainly more than a couple reasons that Los Angeles can cover the spread against the Cubs at home. The most obvious picker-upper that should rejuvenate the overall morale of this team will be the return of third-baseman Anthony Rendon. With the rumblings in and around the clubhouse have suggested that Rendon could be returning to the active roster and starting lineup on Tuesday. Simply put, it has been a massive disappointment during Rendon's tenure with the Angels as he has only played 58 games in four years. Still, Rendon is as lethal as they come at the hot corner and he will no doubt be a welcomed addition in this already-stacked Angels lineup.

Above all else, it will be important for the Halos to get Tyler Anderson in a rhythm from the get-go. A year ago, Anderson dialed up an incredible 28-15 record on his way to a minuscule 2.57 ERA which was hands down his best campaign as a pro. However, Anderson has yet to recapture that same magic with the Angels. If LA is going to handle their business at what should be a packed Angel Stadium, then Anderson needs to look like this 2022 self.

This one should be as exciting as it gets! By the time the final out is recorded, expect this one to be close but it will be the Angels that string together some clutch hits when they need it the most to prevail.

Final Cubs-Angels Prediction & Pick: Angels +1.5 (-182)