Weekends in the MLB are all about both Sunday Night Baseball and games always going on, and we’ve got an interleague series going on that perfectly illustrates the latter. All three games between the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs are afternoon games, and for today’s featured game on FS1, we’ve got our best Orioles vs. Cubs predictions for you.

That also means a best bet from our Orioles vs. Cubs picks, which we’ll make even more exciting with a guaranteed DraftKings Sportsbook promo code bonus - perfect for fans in Baltimore and Chicago!

Orioles vs. Cubs Predictions For MLB On FS1, 8/2

After seemingly turning the franchise around from being at the bottom of the league to perennial playoff contenders in Baltimore, the past few seasons, the O’s are back where fans have become accustomed to seeing them. As for those fans, they’re hoping that it’s just an off year and not a new trend.

On the complete other side of the spectrum are the Cubs, who have been one of the biggest positive surprise stories of the year. However, while they’re a true contender in the NL, their recent series against the Milwaukee Brewers was not great for them in the NL Central specifically.

We note all this, as it made the O’s major sellers at the trade deadline, while Chicago is looking ahead to the postseason. In fact, we’ve even got a revenge game on the menu! So, let’s discuss each team to properly transition into the best bet from our Orioles vs. Cubs predictions.

 

 

 

Baltimore Orioles: Selling Off The Bullpen

As far as the aforementioned trade deadline goes, we can be even more specific than just “sellers” in Baltimore. The O’s all but cleaned house when it comes to their bullpen, with guys like Gregory Soto going to the Mets and Andrew Kittredge, ironically enough, going to the Cubs just a few days ago.

The franchise didn’t have much control contract-wise with these bullpen guys, and with the postseason looking extremely unlikely, they wanted to get the best return possible. As for the remainder of this season, it puts more pressure on an already subpar starting rotation, such as rookie Tomoyuki Sugano getting the start today.
 

 

 

Chicago Cubs: Filling The Holes…Or Did They?

The aforementioned Kittredge just had to switch hotels in the Windy City for this series, but the former O’s reliever wasn’t the Cubs only trade deadline acquisition. The team also snagged another reliever from Pittsburgh in Taylor Rogers - a lefty. Perhaps beyond those two, the most notable name would be Willi Castro.

Like the O’s, the Minnesota Twins were significant sellers, which of course, included Castro. He’s considered a fantastic utility man, but one spot in which he can’t fill is that of a starting pitcher. The concern is that it will be the rotation that ends up holding back the Cubs from an October push to the Fall Classic. 

 

 

 

How To Watch Orioles vs. Cubs Today

There’s perhaps no more iconic ballpark than the outfield ivy of Wrigley Field, and you can see all about how to watch Orioles vs. Cubs today below:

  • Where: Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois
  • When: 2:20 PM ET on 8/2
  • Watch on TV: FS1
  • Where to stream: Fubo, MLB.TV
     
 

 

Orioles vs. Cubs Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines

Given Chicago has had the more successful season and at home, we aren’t surprised to see them favored based on the latest Orioles vs. Cubs odds at DraftKings Sportsbook:

 

 

 

Orioles vs. Cubs Best Bet: Jordan Westburg Over 1.5 Total Bases (+XXX At DraftKings Sportsbook)

There was so much going on during trade deadline week, and it wasn’t only the bullpen that was affected when it comes to the O’s. Even after highlight reel catches taking over SportsCenter leading up to the deadline, Cedric Mullins was also traded to the New York Mets.

It all adds up to other guys needing to step up down the home stretch, and we’re eyeing Baltimore infielder Jordan Westburg. First and foremost, his spot-hitting in the lineup between guys like Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, and Adley Rutschman certainly doesn’t hurt. Neither does the fact that he entered this series hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Speaking of being efficient at the plate, that’s exactly what we saw from Westburg against the Cubs last season. If you look at just averages, you wouldn’t label him as the best performer, but with two of his three hits being extra-base hits, he led the team in slugging percentage.

That’s what we care about most when it comes to total base props. You may also see another raw number that doesn’t jump off the page in terms of Westburg’s total bases this year. However, he missed time due to injury.

If we look at it from a per-game basis, he’s leading the entire team with 1.89 per game, even above those aforementioned household names. With all that in mind, we’ve got Jordan Westburg over 1.5 total bases (+XXX at DraftKings Sportsbook) as the best bet from our Orioles vs. Cubs predictions.
 

 

 

Orioles vs. Cubs Injury Report & Starting Pitchers

There are plenty of moving parts with this matchup, but most of it is thanks to the trade deadline rather than new Orioles vs. Cubs injury updates. Even still, we’ve got quite a significant update in Baltimore with Ryan Mountcastle recently ramping things up in his rehab assignment.

As for Chicago, their biggest injury news lies with starter Jameson Taillon, as Ian Happ’s shin does not appear to be a major issue. Speaking of starters, here are the expected Orioles vs. Cubs starters for today: 

 

 

How To Bet On Orioles vs. Cubs At DraftKings Sportsbook & Claim Your Guaranteed $150 Bonus

Baltimore and Chicago having legal sports betting - and a ton of other locations at this point - the best way to add any Orioles vs. Cubs picks is with today’s guaranteed DraftKings bonus code offer:

  1. Click here for a new DraftKings account
  2. Place your first bet for at least $5 on anything
  3. Receive $150 in bonus bets - even if it loses!

As you can see, there’s not even an actual code needed for 30 times your first bet amount no matter what! Whether you tail our Orioles vs. Cubs predictions or bet on a totally different game or sport, be sure to join DraftKings today!