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Cubs vs. Rockies Prediction and Odds for Friday, April 15 (Rockies Win Low-Scoring Game)

By Joe Summers

German Marquez looked dominant in his first start and hopes to keep it going as the Rockies host the Cubs today
German Marquez looked dominant in his first start and hopes to keep it going as the Rockies host the Cubs today / Justin Edmonds/GettyImages
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We've got a matchup of 4-2 squads today as the Colorado Rockies host the Chicago Cubs in the second game of a four-game series at 8:40 PM EST.

The Cubs won the first game of the series 5-2 and will send Marcus Stroman to the mound to take on Germán Márquez. Stroman was excellent in his first game for Chicago, giving up just one run and two hits over five innings against Milwaukee.


Márquez was even better in his first outing, surrendering one run and three hits over seven innings against the Dodgers.

Which pitcher has the edge tonight? Will Stroman carry the Cubs to a second-straight victory or will
Márquez get Colorado back in the win column?

Let's take a gander at the odds from WynnBET as we find value in this Cubs vs Rockies matchup:

Cubs vs Rockies Odds, Run Line and Total

Run Line:

  • Cubs: +1.5 (-180)
  • Rockies: -1.5 (+150)

Moneyline:

  • Cubs: +105
  • Rockies: -115

Total:

  • 10.0 (Over -115/Under -105)

Cubs vs Rockies Prediction and Pick

Happy Germán Márquez day! The 27-year-old out of Venezuela has long been one of my favorite pitchers to back. He's sensational. And the fact that he pitches half his games at Coors Field almost always means the totals in his games are inflated and we can profit. He was 8-3 with a 3.67 ERA at home last season with an opponent's batting average of .214.


Márquez didn't walk a single batter in his first start and had a hard hit percentage (how often a ball was hit 95+ MPH) of just 26.3%. For context, Ryan Yarbrough of Tampa Bay led the MLB in 2021 with a hard hit percentage of 28.2%. So, Márquez is in elite company with those figures.

Stroman pitched well in his first outing too, but it was against the lowly Brewers, not the All-Star Dodgers. His hard hit percentage of 61.5% suggests he was a bit fortunate to only give up one run, and the Rockies' bats are much more dangerous than Milwaukee's. But I don't expect Colorado to smack Stroman around or anything, the dude is good.

In 33 starts last season, Stroman allowed four or more runs just four times. That's absolutely ridiculous. He gave up just a single run across 14 innings against the Rockies in 2021 and I expect him to pitch well today.

My favorite bet on this game is the under, and I'd recommend a 2-unit play. The under is almost an auto-bet for me when Márquez pitches and today is no different. But I also like the value on the Rockies to win. Márquez dominated a Dodgers' lineup that is superior to Chicago's, while Stroman faced a weak offense and still got hit decently hard. Getting -115 behind one of the best pitchers in the league is a lovely proposition, but I'd wager more on the under.

Pick: Under 10.0 (-105, 2-unit) and Rockies (-115, 1-unit)

Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.

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