Reds vs. Cubs Monday MLB probable pitchers, odds: Marcus Stroman's outing could determine his Trade Deadline future with Chicago

The Chicago Cubs are one of the most fascinating teams to monitor ahead of Tuesday's Trade Deadline. Are the Cubbies buyers? Sellers? Stand-patters? We may get our answer depending on what happens Monday night when top trade chip Marcus Stroman takes the mound at Wrigley Field against Cincinnati. The Cubs are -125 at Caesars Sportsbook.

Two weeks ago today, the Cubs lost at home to Washington to fall to 43-50, and it was presumed they would trade Stroman and outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger with both set to hit the free-agent market this winter. However, the Cubs are now in the thick of the NL Central race at 53-52, four games behind first-place Cincinnati. To make the playoffs, Chicago is +300 at DraftKings with no at -370.

On Sunday, it was reported that the Cubs have told teams Bellinger will not be traded but there was no mention of Stroman. The Cubbies then had their eight-game winning streak snapped in a 3-0 defeat in St. Louis. Would another loss Monday push the Cubs more toward trading Stroman? Obviously, his performance personally could play a role as well. Unlike Bellinger, Stroman is ineligible to receive a qualifying offer, so the Cubs would not receive draft-pick compensation if Stroman signs with another team this winter.

The 32-year-old is 10-7 with a 3.51 ERA in 22 starts but perhaps trade speculation is getting to Stroman as he's an ugly 1-2 with a 7.99 ERA in five July outings. This will be his seventh career start vs. the Reds, but first this year, and he's 4-1 with a 2.55 ERA. Stroman has allowed two runs or fewer in five of the six. He is set at Over/Under 2.5 earned runs and 4.5 strikeouts.

Two teams who had been scouting Stroman likely no longer have a need as Toronto acquired Lucas Giolito from the White Sox, and the Rangers got both Max Scherzer from the Mets and Jordan Montgomery from the Cardinals. Houston hasn't added a starting pitcher yet and has been linked with Stroman. So have Baltimore, the NY Yankees and LA Dodgers.

Reds lefty Andrew Abbott (6-2, 1.90 ERA) might be an NL Rookie of the Year favorite in other seasons but is a +6500 long shot in part because Arizona's Corbin Carroll (-1600) has been so terrific and also because his own team is stacked with candidates. Abbott has the fourth-longest NROY odds on his club behind Elly De La Cruz (+1800), Matt McLain (+2000) and Spencer Steer (+6500).

Abbott brings a 16-inning scoreless streak into Monday, the longest such streak of any active pitcher. The Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw also has 16 in a row but is on the injured list (might return this week). Milwaukee reliever Joel Payamps had an 18-inning streak snapped Sunday. It's Abbott's first career start vs. the Cubs. 

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