Two clubs in the NL Central – the Chicago Cubs (81-78) and the Cincinnati Reds (76-83) – play at Wrigley Field on Friday at 2:20 p.m. ET.

The Cubs are favored (-144 on the money line to win) when they face the Reds (+122). The Cubs start Jameson Taillon (11-8) against the Reds and Nick Martinez (10-6).

On Wednesday the Reds lost to the Guardians 5-2. Emilio Pagan was the pitcher who lost after one inning, giving up three earned runs on three hits while recording a strikeout. TJ Friedl led the Reds’ offense with a 1:3 score.

Ahead of the Cubs-Reds game, here’s everything you need to get ready for Friday’s baseball action, including viewing options.

Chicago Cubs vs Cincinnati Reds odds and betting lines

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM sports betting. Odds updated at 9:16 a.m. ET on Friday. For a complete list of sports betting odds, visit the USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.

  • Favorite: Cubs (-144, bet $144 to win $100)
  • Outsider: Reds (+122, bet $100 to win $122)
  • Over/Under: 6.5

Cubs vs. Reds: Live streaming information and game time

  • Matchday: Friday, September 27, 2024
  • Playing time: 2:20 p.m. ET
  • Stadium: Wrigley Field
  • TV channels: Bally Sports
  • Live stream: Fubo (Watch Free)

Cubs stats and trends

Cubs Betting Records

  • The Cubs have been the favorite in 77 games this season and won 41 (53.2%) of those games.
  • Chicago has a 25-13 record, a winning percentage of 65.8%, despite being favored by -144 or more by sportsbooks this season.
  • The sportsbook’s moneyline implies a 59% chance of the Cubs winning.
  • In games involving Chicago this season, oddsmakers’ total has been exceeded on 75 of 159 chances.
  • The Cubs have an ATS record of 73-85-0 in 158 games with a spread this season.

Jameson Taillon (Cubs’ likely starter)

  • Taillon makes the start for the Cubs, his 28th start of the season. He is 11-8 with a 3.41 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 158 1/3 innings.
  • In his last appearance on Friday, the right-hander threw six scoreless innings against the Washington Nationals, allowing two hits.
  • In 27 games this season, the 32-year-old posted a 3.41 ERA and 7 strikeouts per nine innings while allowing opponents a .246 batting average.
  • Taillon is aiming for his fifth good start in a row.
  • Taillon will look to throw five or more innings in his 10th straight appearance. He averages 5.9 innings per outing.
  • He didn’t allow an earned run in four of his appearances this season.
  • He’ll take the mound against a Reds offense that ranks 27th in the MLB with 1,214 total hits (for a .232 batting average). The team also hit .392 overall (19th in MLB) with 174 total home runs (18th in MLB).
  • Facing the Reds this season, Taillon has thrown 4 1/3 innings, giving up six earned runs on six hits and recording four strikeouts.

Cubs hitting stats

  • The Cubs rank 19th in Major League Baseball with 170 home runs.
  • With 450 extra-base hits this season, Chicago ranks 15th in the MLB with a .396 slugging percentage.
  • The Cubs rank 15th in the league with a .243 batting average this season.
  • Chicago has scored the 11th-most runs in the majors this season with 732 (4.6 per game).
  • The Cubs are among the best in the league at getting on base, ranking 10th with an OBP of .318.
  • Chicago ranks 16th with an average of 8.5 strikeouts per game.

Reds stats and trends

Reds betting records

  • The Reds have won 40 times in the 89 games in which they have been considered underdogs this season.
  • This year, Cincinnati has won 21 of 42 games when listed at +122 or worse on the money line.
  • With the moneyline set for this game, bookmakers have suggested that the Reds have a 45% chance of winning.
  • Cincinnati and its opponents have exceeded the total on 73 of their 158 opportunities this season.
  • The Reds have an 85-72-0 opposite spread mark in 157 games with the line this season.

Nick Martínez (Reds likely starter)

  • Martinez is in the starting lineup for the Reds, making his 16th start of the season. He is 10-6 with a 3.22 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 134 1/3 innings.
  • His last appearance was Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, when the right-hander went scoreless for six innings while allowing two hits.
  • The 34-year-old has a 3.22 ERA with 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings in 41 games this season. Opponents are hitting .239 against him.
  • Martinez is looking to record his fourth straight good start in this outing.
  • Martinez will look to last five or more innings in his sixth straight start. He averages 3.3 frames per outing.
  • He has played 22 games this season in which he has not given up a deserved performance.
  • He faces a Cubs offense that ranks 11th in the league with 732 total runs scored while batting .243 as a unit. His opponent has an overall batting average of .396 (15th in MLB play) and has hit a total of 170 home runs (19th in the league).
  • Facing the Cubs this season, Martinez has pitched seven innings without giving up an earned run on five hits and has six strikeouts.

Reds batting stats

  • The Reds rank 18th in baseball with 174 home runs. They average 1.1 per game.
  • So far this season, Cincinnati ranks 19th in baseball with a .392 batting average.
  • The Reds rank 26th in the MLB with a .232 batting average.
  • With an average of 4.4 runs per game (696 total), Cincinnati is the 15th highest scoring team in baseball.
  • The Reds’ on-base percentage is .306, which ranks 20th in the majors.

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