Wheeler And Imanaga Can Return To Form

Phillies vs. Cubs, 8:05 ET

I've brought up that finding pitching matchups is the key to my sports betting, but I also really love when there are great pitching matchups in the middle of the season because you won't normally find that. Tonight, we have a great matchup that wouldn't have been an Opening Day matchup or anything like that. This just so happens to be two very talented pitchers that are taking the mound in this one. The two teams, however, are in drastically different situations this season. The Phillies are taking on the Cubs tonight and this brings us a strong pitching matchup to enjoy.

The Phillies are one of the best teams in baseball, but this is a very trying time for the team as they are suffering injury after injury. It isn't just small role players either. The Phillies are hurting with Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and JT Realmuto on the injured list right now. That's their MVP candidate, leadoff hitter, and catcher. They also are missing one of their starting pitchers, Taijuan Walker. At the end of May, they were 40-18, putting them 22 games over .500. At the moment, they are 16 games over. This was the result of a June where they went 15-11. That's a solid enough record, but not on the pace that they were on in May when they made their best run. Even without their studs, they have a good enough cushion that they should be able to hold the line until they get healthy again. One of the main reasons they can last is because they have a really good pitching staff. Tonight, one of their best pitchers goes as Zack Wheeler takes the mound. For the season, Wheeler has a 9-4 record with a 2.73 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. He should be strongly planted in the Cy Young competition. In June, he had a 3.66 ERA, because he allowed 13 earned runs over 32 innings. However, he allowed eight earned runs and four homers in 4.1 innings. So, in the rest of the month, he allowed a total of five earned runs. Everyone is entitled to a poor start every once in a while, I suppose. Cubs hitters are hitting just .229 against him. Interestingly enough, Cody Bellinger is 5-for-13 against Wheeler and all five hits are home runs. 

Jun 15, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA;  Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga (18) reacts after he delivers a pitch during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

The Cubs are embarrassing themselves this season. Last year, they collapsed down the stretch and didn't make the playoffs. They ended up getting one of the more highly regarded managers in the baseball game, Craig Counsell. Unfortunately, that was really the biggest move the Cubs made this year. Sure, they resigned Cody Bellinger, but now it looks like they may trade him away because of how poorly they've played over the past two months. This was a year that the Cubs said they were investing in the club and not looking toward next year, but the reality is the club isn't hitting and the pitching staff isn't good enough to keep them in all of the games. One signing they did have during the offseason that has mostly worked out is tonight's starter Shota Imanaga. After looking like the best pitcher in the game, a for sure Rookie of the Year and potentially Cy Young winner, Imanaga has started to come back down to Earth. For the season, Imanaga has a 3.07 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. However his ERA in June was 5.67. He went 27 innings in June but he allowed 17 earned runs in that stretch. 10 of the earned runs came in one game as he allowed them to the Mets over three innings. So he went 24 innings and allowed just seven earned in that stretch. He has never faced the Phillies, and that has usually resulted in some good success.

If we toss out both starters bad starts in June, we can see that they have actually been just as consistent as they have in other situations of the season. Wheeler has struggled on the road in comparison to on their home diamond. I feel like Imanaga is the only opportunity for the Cubs to win baseball games at this point. I can't really back either team at this point. I do think they both turn in strong performances tonight and will take the under through five innings. 

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