Chicago Cubs vs Colorado Rockies Prediction: A high scoring game

The Colorado Rockies and the Chicago Cubs will face off in MLB action at Wrigley Field on Monday. We'll analyze this matchup from a betting standpoint and identify the top bets for the game.

The Chicago Cubs encountered some difficulties against the Texas Rangers in their first two games, suffering losses of 4-3 and 11-2. However, they turned things around dramatically in the finale on Sunday, securing a thrilling 9-5 victory with four runs scored in the ninth inning. Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Cody Bellinger, and Christopher Morel were instrumental, combining for eight RBI in the triumph. Shota Imanaga is set to take the starting role for the Chicago Cubs on Monday.

Leading up to this game, the Chicago Cubs have had mixed results. They have lost four of their last five games as favorites against the Colorado Rockies following a road win. Additionally, they have failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven games as favorites against the Rockies after a road win. However, the Cubs have shown strength in Monday day games, leading after 5 innings in each of their last eight such games.

It's worth noting that the Cubs have faced challenges in their home openers, trailing after 7 innings in seven of their last 10 home openers.

The Colorado Rockies faced off against the Arizona Diamondbacks in their initial series of 2024. In the first two games, they suffered heavy defeats with a combined score of 23-4. However, they managed to bounce back with a convincing 9-4 victory on Saturday. Unfortunately, they couldn't maintain the momentum and fell 5-1 in the final game. Jacob Stallings contributed the sole RBI, while starting pitcher Ryan Feltner pitched 5.0 innings with three earned runs.

Taking the mound as the starting pitcher for the Monday opener will be Dakota Hudson. In his 18 games last year (12 starts), Hudson achieved a 6-3 record with a 4.98 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 81.1 innings. Overall, Hudson holds a career record of 38-20 with a 3.84 ERA in 114 games (74 starts).

Heading into this game, the Colorado Rockies have struggled on the road, losing 13 of their last 14 away games. However, they have covered the run line in each of their last four games at Wrigley Field against teams with losing records.

I'm considering taking a risk on the Chicago Cubs in this situation as I'm curious to see how Imanaga performs in his debut MLB start. While he isn't an extremely dominant pitcher, his fastball typically reaches around 92 MPH, and he demonstrates good control when he's at his best. In their recent game on Sunday, the Cubs had impressive offensive output from their top hitters. Their pitching wasn't bad either; the bullpen pitched 5.0 innings, allowing no earned runs, three hits, and recording seven strikeouts. Given that the Colorado Rockies showed defensive vulnerabilities against the Arizona Diamondbacks' offense last weekend, the Chicago Cubs may have favorable opportunities to score in this upcoming game.