Get the Latest Score Updates for Cubs vs Reds – Friday September 18, 2026

Chicago Cubs

@

Cincinnati Reds

Chicago Cubs Insights

• Clay Holmes – Over/Under 4.5 Strikeouts (-115/-115)
  Clay Holmes’s sinker usage has jumped by 8.8% from last year to this one (40.4% to 49.2%) .
  Explain: Sinkers are the easiest pitches to hit and generate the fewest strikeouts, so a pitcher who begins to use his sinker more often will likely be less effective than he used to be.
• Pete Crow-Armstrong – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (-115/-115)
  Pete Crow-Armstrong has seen a notable improvement in his exit velocity of late; just compare his 95.3-mph average in the past 14 days to his seasonal 90.6-mph figure.
  Explain: Hitting the ball hard increases the chances of either a home run or the ball landing in fair territory for a hit before a fielder can get to it.
• Chicago Cubs – Moneyline (-150)
  The best projected batting order of all teams on the slate today in terms of overall offensive ability belongs to the Chicago Cubs.
  Explain: A pitcher who faces a strong opposing offense will be more likely to underperform his usual performance, particularly in terms of hits and runs, in that game.

Cincinnati Reds Insights

• Chase Burns – Over/Under 3.5 Strikeouts (-135/+105)
  Out of all SPs, Chase Burns’s fastball spin rate of 2632 rpm ranks in the 97th percentile this year.
  Explain: Spin rate is a key component to fastball success in generating strikeouts and preventing runs.
• JJ Bleday – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-150/+115)
  JJ Bleday is an extreme flyball hitter and matches up with the strong outfield defense of Chicago (#2-best of all teams on the slate).
  Explain: This player’s skill set matches up poorly with the opposing team’s defensive strength, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.
• The 9.6% Barrel% of the Cincinnati Reds makes them the #2 team in Major League Baseball this year by this stat.
  Explain: Barrel% measures how often a player hits the ball at the optimal exit velocity and launch angle and is a terrific measure of underlying power.

Betting Trends

• Cincinnati Reds – Over/Under 1.5 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total (-135/+105)
  The Cincinnati Reds have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Under in 33 of their last 50 games at home (+12.90 Units / 21% ROI)
• Over/Under 8.5 Game Total (-110/-110)
  The Chicago Cubs have hit the Game Total Over in 20 of their last 30 games (+11.40 Units / 35% ROI)
• Alex Bregman – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+125/-165)
  Alex Bregman has hit the Total Bases Over in 12 of his last 20 games (+6.40 Units / 28% ROI)