Diamondbacks vs. Cubs (May 19): Gallen, D-Backs good value to end six-game skid in Chi-town

After a rough start to the season, the Chicago Cubs have heated up recently, winning three consecutive series. Tonight, they will look to put themselves on track for a fourth straight series win as they meet the Arizona Diamondbacks and one of the hottest pitchers in the league.

One of those series wins was against Arizona just last weekend, as they took two of three in Phoenix. The home team took the opener last Friday, but the Cubs bounced back with wins on Saturday and Sunday in games that were both decided in the ninth inning.

After a series win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Cubs now welcome the Diamondbacks to Wrigley Field for a four-game set.

The visitors are currently headed in the opposite direction as the Cubs, having lost six straight. But they will be hoping that Zac Gallen, who is off to a fine start this season, will help steer them to a much-needed win tonight.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Chicago Cubs Betting Odds and Matchup Information

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Arizona Diamondbacks (18-21, 8-10 road, 5th in the NL West) vs. Chicago Cubs (15-21, 6-12 home, 4th in the NL Central)
• Venue & Location: Wrigley Field (Chicago, Illinois)
• Date: Thursday, May 19, 2022
• Time: 7:40 p.m. Eastern Time (6:40 p.m. local time)
• How to Watch Today’s Diamondbacks vs. Cubs Game: MLB Network

Diamondbacks vs. Cubs Probable Starting Pitching Matchup

• Arizona Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen (2022: 6 starts, 2-0, 1.05 ERA)
• Chicago Cubs: Marcus Stroman (2022: 5 starts, 1-3, 5.13 ERA)

Diamondbacks vs. Cubs Odds

Odds are via BetOnline. Odds from our other top reviewed and recommended sportsbooks may also be included in this article.

Moneyline

• Arizona Diamondbacks -104
• Chicago Cubs -112

Over/Under

• OVER 8.5 (-110)
• UNDER 8.5 (-110)

Run Line

• Arizona Diamondbacks -1.5 (+146)
• Chicago Cubs +1.5 (-178)

Will Gallen Get Bullpen Support in Rematch with Cubs?

In last Saturday’s Diamondbacks vs. Cubs matchup, Gallen received the start and was excellent in his six innings, allowing only one run, two hits, and one walk, and striking out nine.

It was just the latest standout start for Gallen in a season in a stretch that has seen him put 2021 behind him in a big way. Last season, he was 4-10 with a 4.30 ERA in 23 starts. It certainly wasn’t all bad, as he had a seven-inning one-hitter against the Atlanta Braves in April and finished his season by going 3-2 with a 3.19 ERA across his last eight starts.

But he has hit the ground sprinting this season, allowing just four runs, 18 hits, and five walks and striking out 35 in 34.1 innings.

Zac Gallen’s Rankings Among Pitchers with At Least Six 2022 Starts

• ERA: 1st
• WHIP: 1st
• Hits allowed per nine innings: 3rd
• K/BB ratio: 5th

He has allowed multiple runs in only one start to date, and he has yet to allow more combined hits and walks than innings pitched in a start.

Additionally, he has given up just one home run thus far after surrendering 19 in 121.1 innings last season. And his K/BB ratio is miles ahead of last year’s (2.84) or his career ratio entering this season (2.88).

Were Gallen on a better–or more visible–team, his NL Cy Young Award odds would be shorter than +2500, which puts him in a tie for eighth at BetOnline.

Gallen left that last start with the game tied at 1-1, but the Diamondbacks gave up three runs in the top of the ninth and lost 4-2. The next day, the pen gave away a tied game in the ninth inning again, as the Cubs claimed a 3-2 win and the series.

Entering today’s game, Arizona (4.73) has MLB’s third-worst bullpen ERA, with only the Cincinnati Reds (4.97) and Colorado Rockies (5.30) with a worse number. The Diamondbacks also have the third-worst WHIP (1.39), with again only the Reds (1.44) and Rockies (1.53) in more dire straits.

But all things considered, the 4-2 record that the D-Backs have in his starts is pretty good, especially when you consider that they have scored only 22 runs in those six starts, which leaves both he and the pen with little margin for error.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Chicago Cubs Prediction and Best Bets

Diamondbacks vs. Cubs Prediction: Diamondbacks to win

Diamondbacks vs. Cubs Best Bets: Diamondbacks ML (-104 at BetOnline) and UNDER 8.5 (-110 at BetOnline, Bovada Sportsbook & BetUS)

The Cubs do come in on a good run, and the Diamondbacks do come in on a bad one. But the Cubs are the bigger wildcard tonight with Stroman returning from a few weeks on the shelf due to COVID.

Prior to that stint, Stroman had pitched well in his two most recent starts, allowing three runs (two earned) and six hits in six innings at Atlanta and tossing seven shutout innings and allowing just two hits and a walk in a win in Milwaukee.

Gallen has been good both home and away thus far, and he has been good in both day and night games as well. This is technically a night game, as it starts after 7:00 p.m. ET, but a 6:40 p.m. CT start at this time of year is a bit of a different thing than, say, a 6:40 p.m. start in late October. But I digress.

In any event, daytime, nighttime, dinner time, whatever time, it’ll be winning time for Gallen and the Diamondbacks tonight.

While five of the six losses in their current streak are by one or two runs, they have overall been the better team in close games, posting a 12-8 record in one and two-run games compared to the Cubs’ 8-12 record in such games.

Tonight’s matchup should be another tight tilt, just as all three games last weekend were, and another outstanding outing for Gallen will set the D-Backs on their way to a slump-busting win.