Tigers vs. Cubs Prediction: Jack Flaherty Looks to Right the Ship Against Chicago’s Surging Offense at Wrigley
Jack Flaherty and Jameson Taillon both enter with shaky ERAs as the Cubs host the Tigers in a virtual pick'em with a high total at Wrigley Field.
The Detroit Tigers roll into Wrigley Field on Monday hoping to snap a rough recent stretch, sitting at 46-53 and looking to slow down a Chicago Cubs team that has won four of its last five and improved to 56-43. First pitch is set for 8:05 p.m. ET on Marquee Sports Network, with the Cubs still very much in the thick of the NL Central race.
Jack Flaherty takes the ball for Detroit looking to find some rhythm, while Jameson Taillon gets the start for Chicago after a season that has been more turbulent than the Cubs would like from a veteran arm.
A Coin-Flip Line Despite Chicago’s Recent Surge
This is about as close to a pick’em as the market gets, with the Cubs favored by only the slimmest of margins, generally in the -108 to -116 range, and Detroit sitting close to even money around -104 to +105 depending on the book. The total is set at 11.5, one of the higher lines of the day, signaling that oddsmakers expect both bullpens to be tested. On the run line, Detroit getting 1.5 runs has actually drawn plus money at some books, while Chicago laying the runs sits around -160 to -174.
That combination — a virtual coin-flip moneyline paired with a high total — suggests this game could come down to whichever bullpen holds up better in the late innings, rather than either starter dominating from the first pitch.
Flaherty’s Command Issues Meet a Cubs Lineup Hitting Its Stride
Jack Flaherty enters at 3-8 with a 4.48 ERA, numbers that reflect a difficult season marked by inconsistent command. He’s still capable of missing bats, but the free passes have piled up, and a Cubs lineup that has been aggressive and disciplined in equal measure, led by Pete Crow-Armstrong, figures to make him work for every out.
Jameson Taillon has had an even rougher go of it, sitting at 2-5 with a 5.19 ERA, and Detroit’s lineup, anchored by Riley Greene and Colt Keith, has shown enough thump to punish mistakes over the middle of the plate. Neither starter has been sharp for stretches this season, which is a big reason the total sits as high as it does.
Chicago’s home-field edge and recent momentum give the Cubs a slight advantage, but with both starters prone to long innings and free passes, this profiles as the kind of game where the score gets away from someone in a hurry.
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Prediction and Best Bet
With two shaky starters and a lineup on each side capable of stringing together big innings, the smart play here is banking on runs rather than picking a side outright.
- Prediction: Cubs 7, Tigers 6
- Best Bet: Over 11.5 runs
| Wed, Sep 16 • 3:08 PM | Spread | Money | Total |
| Detroit Tigers |  +1.5 (-205) |  +105 |  O 8.5 (-103) |
| Toronto Blue Jays |  +1.5 (-205) | -118 | U 8.5 (-118) |
Given Flaherty’s and Taillon’s struggles to consistently locate this season, betting the total to clear 11.5 runs makes more sense than trying to guess which shaky bullpen holds up in a game at Wrigley that has all the makings of a slugfest.
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