The Cubs are trying to hold a wild-card spot. The Orioles are trying to figure out if they're even trying anymore. That tension is the whole ballgame at Camden Yards.
Bush’s Picks
CHCBAL
CHCBAL
OverUnder
Best BetOrioles
Peterson getting shelled for 10 earned runs in his last outing is the kind of line that makes backing Chicago's ace-less rotation a tough sell right now. Rogers just turned in his best start in weeks and gives Baltimore a real edge on the mound for one night. The Orioles are the worse team overall, but tonight's pitching matchup tilts this one their way.
Cubs
+50-40, holding a wild-card spot
+Crow-Armstrong and Hoerner producing in recent stretch
+Positioned as trade deadline buyers
−Peterson allowed 10 ER in 3.2 IP last start
−Rotation gutted (Steele, Taillon, Cabrera all out)
−Bullpen missing Palencia, Maton, Roberts, Brown
Orioles
+Rogers threw 5 shutout innings his last start
+Won 3 of last 5, took series in Cincinnati
+Front office publicly says team is 'going for it'
−42-49, below .500 and fourth in AL East
−Closer Helsley out with elbow discomfort
−Deadline direction still unresolved, sellers possible
David Peterson (4-7, 6.75) gets the ball for Chicago fresh off arguably his worst start of the season, while Trevor Rogers (6-7, 4.70) takes the mound for Baltimore coming off the best one he's had in weeks.
Rogers is a former Cy Young dark horse who's been up and down all year, but his last time out he shut down a Reds lineup for 5 shutout innings. Peterson, meanwhile, was torched for 10 earned runs in just 3.2 innings against St. Louis, part of a Cubs rotation that's been picked apart by injuries to Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Edward Cabrera. Baltimore's bullpen has its own crater at the back end after closer Ryan Helsley went down with elbow discomfort, pushing early save duties onto Tyler Wells.
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CHC Cubs
BAL Orioles
None of that has stopped Chicago from holding a wild-card spot, and it's part of why the Cubs still look like the sturdier operation walking into Thursday's series finale on Thursday, July 9 even with the pitching questions hanging over them.
Chicago Cubs
Jul 8?@ Orioles—
Jul 7?@ Orioles—
Baltimore Orioles
Jul 8?vs Cubs—
Jul 7?vs Cubs—
Recent form.
The Cubs have been a team of extremes lately — a 23-3 blowout win followed by a 1-17 humiliation, then a scrappy 6-4 comeback to avoid a series sweep. Pete Crow-Armstrong has been a steady bright spot in that stretch, and Nico Hoerner's been driving in runs when it's mattered. Baltimore's form is calmer on the surface, 3 wins in its last 5, but the underlying story is a team that doesn't know if it's buying or selling before the deadline.
Chicago Cubs
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Baltimore Orioles
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
Both rosters are banged up in ways that matter specifically for this game. Chicago's bullpen is missing Daniel Palencia, Phil Maton and Ben Brown, all guys who'd normally be trusted in a close, late spot. Baltimore's missing Helsley and Keegan Akin on the same side of the ledger. Whichever manager has to lean on Plan C in the 7th inning Thursday is probably the one who loses this series finale.
