Cubs vs Orioles Odds, Analysis, and Score Prediction

There are several reasons why Baltimore is leading the AL East Division, but one is the shockingly good season being had by 34-year-old journeyman pitcher Albert Suarez, who is on the mound Thursday for a series finale against the Cubs.

Chicago Cubs Moneyline +100

Want proof that the Cubs have been hugely disappointing this season, when they were favored at one point to win the NL Central? They have just one NL All-Star and that’s rookie pitcher Shota Imanaga.

He became the first Cubs rookie to be named an All-Star since Kris Bryant in his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2015. Imanaga joined Sam Jones (1955) as the only Cubs rookie pitchers to earn All-Star honors.

Imanaga is the first official rookie pitcher to make an All-Star team for Chicago since 1958, when rookie rules were first established by MLB.

Happ is batting .280 with 10 doubles, a 1.025 OPS and has hit 12 of his 14 homers this season during the run.

Among qualified major league rookies, Michael Busch ranks first in OPS (.838), SLG (.473), OBP (.365) and walks (38), is tied for the major league-lead in homers (12) and ranks third in average (.273) and runs (42).

Justin Steele on the Hill

It’s lefty Justin Steele on the mound here. He struggled early and landed on the injured list but has been quite good since returning.

Steele (1-3) earned the win against the Angels last Friday, allowing one run on two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts over nine innings. Steele needed just 95 pitches to toss his first career complete game.

Finally, Steele hander became the first Cubs southpaw to spin a complete game since Cole Hamels did so on Aug. 23, 2018, against the Reds.

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Baltimore Orioles Moneyline -122

Orioles rookie Jordan Westburg has been added to the American League All-Star roster.

He joins teammates Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson on the Junior Circuit’s roster as an injury replacement for Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers, who dropped out of the Midsummer Classic due to a lingering left shoulder ailment.

It’s a well-deserved honor for the 25-year-old, who as of Wednesday is slashing .281/.328/.512 with 15 homers and 50 RBI.

MLB Home Run Leaders

The Birds lead MLB with nine leadoff homers this year; Gunnar Henderson has eight of those, the most in MLB and tied for the second-most in a single season in Orioles history with Cedric Mullins (2021), trailing only Brady Anderson (12, 1996).

Albert Suarez on the Hill

It’s the 34-year-old journeyman righty Albert Suarez on the mound Thursday. Suarez (5-2) earned the win last Friday against Oakland, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk over six innings.

He struck out six. He required only 86 pitches to collect his second consecutive quality start.

Prior to June 28, Suarez owned only two MLB outings of six or more innings, both coming as a rookie for the Giants in 2016.

He has since gone at least six in two straight quality starts after tossing six scoreless frames vs. the Rangers on June 28. He’s a well-traveled guy who spent years in Japan (’19-21) and Korea (’22-23).

Suarez is 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA in two appearances spanning eight career innings vs. the Cubs.