Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds, MLB forecast
Win probability
Starts from the pregame forecast, then moves with the score and the time left after each inning. Above the line favors CIN.
Game center
From the ESPN box score.
Top performers
Cubs- Dansby SwansonBatting1-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI
- Justin SteelePitching7.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 K
Reds- Tyler StephensonBatting1-3, 2 RBI
- Nick LodoloPitching6.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 K
Scoring summary
- 9Amaya doubled to center, Busch scored.2–3
- 9Pitch 3 : Ball In Play2–3
- 9Pitch 2 : Ball 22–3
- 9Pitch 1 : Ball 12–3
- 6Swanson homered to right center (393 feet).1–3
- 6Pitch 3 : Ball In Play1–3
- 6Pitch 2 : Strike 1 Looking1–3
- 6Pitch 1 : Ball 11–3
- 5Fairchild singled to center, Dunn scored.0–3
- 5Pitch 4 : Ball In Play0–3
- 5Pitch 3 : Strike 1 Swinging0–3
- 5Pitch 2 : Ball 20–3
- 5Pitch 1 : Ball 10–3
- 4Stephenson doubled to left, De La Cruz scored and Steer scored.0–2
- 4Pitch 2 : Ball In Play0–2
- 4Pitch 1 : Strike 1 Foul0–2
The pick
Reconstructed from what was known before the game: the ratings at that point and the closing line.
Reds 54%
Forecast Elo ratings alone
How often that comes true: MLB favorites the forecast gave 50–55% have won 52.7% of 2,871 graded games.
- Market
- CIN 54%
- ML CHC +110 / CIN -130
- Pre-line forecast
- CIN 53%
- Elo + market-implied
- Elo ratings
- CIN 56%
- Ratings vs. market
- +1.4 pts
- CIN: Elo 55.6%, market 54.3%
- Fair odds
- CIN -119
- CHC +119 · the forecast as odds, no margin
- Pregame projection
- CHC 4.1 – 4.4 CIN
- Margin from the forecast, posted total 8.5
How the number is built
Elo inputs in rating points (higher favors that team; 25–28 Elo is about a point of spread in football and basketball), then how the pieces combine.
| Factor | CHC | CIN | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team rating | 1505 | 1500 | Elo entering the game; 1500 is league average |
| Home field | — | +18 | Worth 18 Elo in MLB |
| Starting pitchers | −18 | +8 | CHC: Justin Steele: team allows 0.89 more runs than with its usual starter (≈10 weighted starts) · CIN: Nick Lodolo: team allows 0.40 fewer runs than with its usual starter (≈8 weighted starts) |
| Elo ratings | CIN +39 Elo | CIN 55.6% | |
| Market-implied ratings | CIN 52.0% | Team strength as past closing lines priced it, same game context | |
| Pre-line forecast | CIN 52.6% | 15% Elo, 85% market-implied (log-odds blend) | |
| Forecast | CIN 54.3% | Follows the market (vig removed): in testing, adding the ratings made it less accurate | |
Tale of the tape
This season coming into the game, regular season, each number with its league rank (the longer the bar, the higher). Home and road: the host's record at home against the visitor's on the road.
| CHC | Stat | CIN |
|---|---|---|
| 15th of 304.4 | Runs scored | 4.412th of 30 |
| 19th of 304.6 | Runs allowed | 4.211th of 30 |
| 18th of 30−0.2 | Margin | +0.210th of 30 |
| 18th of 304–6 | Last 10 | 7–33rd of 30 |
| 24th of 3013–19 | Road vs home | 15–1720th of 30 |
Rating history
Each team's Elo over the last two seasons. Hover or drag to compare on any date.
Recent form
Last five results, and whether the forecast hit.
Against the line
How each team has done against the closing spread and total, coming into this game.
| This season |  CHC |  CIN |
|---|---|---|
| Run line | 30–33 | 35–28 |
| Last 10 | 2–8 | 7–3 |
| Favorite | 7–20 | 15–16 |
| Underdog | 23–13 | 20–12 |
| Overs–unders | 31–31–1 | 31–31–1 |
| Overs–unders, last 10 | 8–2 | 5–5 |
Against each game's closing line. Books set every line knowing these records: across 3,901 past games, the team with the better record against the spread so far that season covered 51.2%, short of the 52.4% a standard −110 bet needs, and over/under streaks held 48.0% of the time. They describe the past.
Head to head
CHC 7–10 CIN in their last 17 meetings; the forecast called 8 of 17.