The Cubs have been must-see chaos all season — blowout losses followed by blowout wins — and they roll into Sunday atop the NL Central while Cincinnati just limps toward the trade deadline.
Bush’s Picks
CHCCIN
CHCCIN
OverUnder
Best BetCubs
Chicago's the healthier, more complete team right now and Boyd is throwing the ball as well as anyone in that rotation. Cincinnati's lineup is missing 2 outfielders and its best infielder, which makes backing the Reds to win outright a tougher sell even at home. The price on the Cubs isn't a gift, but their recent form justifies laying the number.
Cubs
+Won 3 straight, bounced back from ugly loss
+Boyd's last start: 6 IP, 0 ER, 7 K
+Sit atop the NL Central at 52-40
−Bullpen missing Palencia, Brown, Milner, Maton
−Taillon, Cabrera, Steele all still on the IL
Reds
+Abbott struck out 8 in last start
+Just dropped 11 runs on Phillies
+Playing loose with little left to lose
−Missing both Dunn and Myers in the outfield
−Francona openly frustrated, sub-.500 at 42-49
−Bullpen also thinned by Ashcraft, Williamson, Santillan injuries
Matthew Boyd draws Andrew Abbott for Sunday's 1:40 PM ET series finale, and both arms show up hot off strong last outings. Boyd shut out the Orioles over 6 shutout innings with 7 strikeouts his last time out, while Abbott struck out 8 in 6 innings against Philadelphia even though he took the loss.
The Reds' lineup has been the bigger problem than the rotation lately. Blake Dunn and Dane Myers are both out in the outfield, Ke'Bryan Hayes is still working his way back from a back issue, and Terry Francona has openly vented about a team that's sunk well below .500 with the deadline bearing down. Cincinnati did break out for 11 runs in its last game, so the bats aren't dead — just wildly inconsistent.
Show fees
1:40 PM ET
Spread
ML
Total
CHC Cubs
CIN Reds
Chicago's bullpen picture is the one thing keeping this from being a clean edge for the Cubs. Daniel Palencia, Ben Brown, Hoby Milner and Phil Maton are all out, which has forced Craig Counsell to piece things together on the fly all month. Boyd going deep on Sunday would be a real gift for a taxed relief corps.
Chicago Cubs
Jul 11?@ Reds—
Jul 10?@ Reds—
Cincinnati Reds
Jul 11?vs Cubs—
Jul 10?vs Cubs—
Recent form.
Whatever criticism you can levy at this Cubs team, they keep finding ways to win series. They followed up a 1-17 embarrassment against St. Louis by ripping off three straight wins, including a pair of comeback-flavored victories in Baltimore. That kind of resilience matters against a Reds club that's lost 4 of its last 7 series openers and looks like it's playing out the string.
Chicago Cubs
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Cincinnati Reds
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
Great American Ball Park has a reputation for letting balls fly, and with both bullpens banged up, this has the look of a game that could get away from either starter late. The Cubs are the better team on paper right now, but Cincinnati has enough pop in its lineup that a laugher in either direction wouldn't shock anyone Sunday.
