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Bryan Power (957) Cincinnati Reds at (958) Chicago Cubs: F5 Moneyline
Play Sport/Type:
MLB / Money Line
Date/Time:
Aug 30 2026 7:20 PM EDT
Line Provider:
Draftkings
Play Rating:
5%
Odds:
+105
Play:
F5 Cincinnati Reds 105 Chase Burns (RHP), Shota Imanaga (LHP) Must Start
5% Cincinnati F5 (7:20 ET): Please note that this is a bet for the first five innings, not the entire game. Runs have not been in short supply in this series. In fact, the Reds and Cubs have combined for 40 in the first two games. It was 10-8 Cincinnati on Friday afternoon, a game in which the Reds scored nine unanswered runs at one point. That is one of only two wins over the Cubs this season, however, as it was a 17-5 drubbing yesterday. PCA homered three times for the Cubs, who improved to 7-2 head to head in this NL Central rivalry for the season. My view is that we’re going to see the Cubs’ offense fall off Sunday night - at least early on - as they are set to face Reds’ ace Chase Burns, who is rarely available to bet at this price.
Burns did have a rough start his last time out where he allowed five runs in 3 ⅔ innings, to the Giants no less. That was just the fourth time all season that Burns allowed that many runs in a start. The good news is that after each of the previous three, he bounced back with a quality start. He threw six shutout innings against the Giants on April 16th. Then, on July 2nd as a big underdog in Milwaukee (+172), Burns allowed just two runs in seven innings and got the win. The most recent instance of him being off a “bad” start was earlier this month vs. Miami where it was seven shutout innings of four-hit ball. As is this case here, Burns had five days off between starts before that outing against the Marlins. So that’s just two runs allowed in three starts (19 IP) when off a “bad” start.
Then you have to consider the fact that the Reds have lost back to back Burns’ starts only once this entire season and that was all the way back in April! I don’t necessarily trust the Reds’ bullpen in tonight’s matchup, but I do trust Burns. He is 14-3 this season with a 2.77 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. This is also a top 10 pitcher in both FIP (3.11) and K/9 (10.6). As I alluded to earlier, it’s exceedingly rare to be able to bet Burns at the current price. He’s been at even/plus money only five times in 2026. The Reds are 4-1 in those five games with the lone loss being 1-0 in Pittsburgh where the Pirates scored in the bottom of the eighth. In those five starts, Burns has allowed just four runs total in 30 IP. The Reds were ahead or tied after five innings in all five. Expect Burns to outduel Shota Imanaga, who has allowed eight home runs over his L5 starts and sees his fly ball rate jump way up here at Wrigley. 5% Cincinnati F5 (Play to -125)
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