Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the MLB match.
The Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs have traded wins in this series so far — the Phillies edged the opener 4:3, before the Cubs roared back with a dominant 8:4 victory in Game 2. Now it's down to the decider, and all eyes are on the mound.
Philadelphia Phillies
Jesús Luzardo (4.46 ERA) is set to start for the Phillies, and his recent outings have done little to inspire confidence. The lefty has been rocked in back-to-back starts. Against the Milwaukee Brewers, he recorded a career-worst performance, allowing 12 runs in just 3.1 innings. Things didn’t get much better against the Toronto Blue Jays either — 8 runs conceded in only 2.1 frames. Luzardo is clearly struggling to find rhythm and command.
Chicago Cubs
Meanwhile, the Cubs’ starting pitcher Ben Brown is heading in the opposite direction. His last two starts have been his best of the season. Even when compared to the Detroit Tigers’ Cy Young Award contender Tarik Skubal, Brown more than held his own—allowing just two runs and striking out seven over seven innings. The Cubs’ manager Craig Counsell emphasized that the 25-year-old right-hander is ready to compete with anyone, and against the Tigers, he showcased his best fastball of the year.
Philadelphia Phillies vs Chicago Cubs Prediction
With Luzardo battling confidence issues and the Phillies' offence underwhelming — Bryce Harper sidelined and Kyle Schwarber hitting just 4-for-35 (11.4%) this month with 17 strikeouts — it's risky backing the home side. The Chicago Cubs have the form and momentum heading into this series finale.
