Diamondbacks vs. Cubs Prediction and Odds for Sunday, May 22 (Cubs Struggles as Favorite Continue)

After storming back from a four-run deficit to win 7-6 in extra innings, the 21-21 Arizona Diamondbacks hope to finish off a four-game sweep of the 15-24 Chicago Cubs today at 2:20 PM EST.

Arizona has now won three-straight after a six-game losing streak and will send Merrill Kelly to the mound in the series finale. Kelly is coming off his worst start of the campaign: an eight-run, two-inning debacle against the Dodgers in which he walked four and looked nothing like the pitcher that had a 1.71 ERA entering the contest.

Prior to that disaster, Kelly had a quality start in four of his last five and hadn't allowed more than three runs once in seven outings.

Wade Miley is tasked with ending Chicago's four-game losing streak and though he struggled in his first start, he threw seven scoreless against Pittsburgh in his last appearance and looks to be shaking off the rust after missing the start of 2022.

Can the Cubs salvage a victory behind Miley, or will the Kelly bounce back to give Arizona a sweep?

Let's take a gander at the odds from WynnBET Sportsbook to help find out ahead of this Diamondbacks vs Cubs series finale matchup:

Diamondbacks vs Cubs Odds, Run Line and Total

Run Line:

• Diamondbacks +1.5 (-200)
• Cubs -1.5 (+165)

Moneyline:

• Diamondbacks: +110
• Cubs: -120

Total:

• 7.5 (Over +105/Under -125)

Diamondbacks vs Cubs Prediction and Pick

Have you ever seen the meme from Spongebob Squarepants where a fish has his fists balled up, yelling "How many times do we have to teach you this lesson, old man?"

That's how I feel when I see sportsbooks have made the Cubs betting favorites. After yesterday's meltdown from an otherwise solid bullpen, Chicago is now 3-9 outright in their last dozen games when favored, including four straight losses.

Merrill Kelly has struggled this month and was spectacularly bad against the Dodgers in his last start, but should find things easier against a Cubs lineup that ranks 27th in OPS against right-handed pitchers in May. Los Angeles is second in MLB in OPS against righty's this month, so it makes sense Kelly performed poorly. He faced the Marlins in his start before that and they rank seventh. I'd wage Kelly has just been unlucky to face excellent offenses and now we'll see his early-season magic return.

On the other end, I wouldn't read too much into Wade Miley's seven scoreless innings against the Pirates. They were in a historically bad offensive slump, going three straight games in which their only run came in a game during which they didn't record a single hit. Arizona, meanwhile, ranks 11th in OPS against left-handed pitchers in May and have scored 20 runs in the first three games of this series.

The Diamondbacks are 11-6 in their last 17 as an underdog and two of those losses came by just one run. Both bullpens should be gassed after yesterday's extra-innings contest, but Kelly has shown an ability to go deep into games while Miley is still getting ramped up, so that favors Arizona.

I'll keep fading Chicago as a favorite until oddsmakers adjust. How many times do we have to teach you this lesson, old man? As many times as it takes, apparently.

Pick: Diamondbacks (+110)

Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.