The Chicago Cubs, who are in the thick of the National League Central Division race, will look to continue their winning ways when they battle the Kansas City Royals on Friday. The Cubs (62-58) have won seven of their last nine series and lead third-place Cincinnati by percentage points in the division, just behind first-place Milwaukee. The Royals (39-84), fifth in the American League Central, lost three of four against the Seattle Mariners, including a 6-4 defeat on Thursday.

The game is slated to begin at 2:20 p.m. ET from Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Cubs are listed at -179 (risk $179 to win $100) on the money line in the latest Royals vs. Cubs odds from the SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total runs scored is 8.5. (see the latest lines for every game on our MLB odds page).

Before making any Royals vs. Cubs picks, you NEED to see the latest MLB predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model. 

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times. It went 331-285 on top-rated MLB money-line picks (+357) over the past two seasons. It entered Week 21 of the 2023 MLB season 61-47 on all top-rated MLB picks this season and has excelled on top-rated run-line picks, going 12-4 (+468). Anybody following has seen big returns!

The model knows center fielder Cody Bellinger, the former Los Angeles Dodger and National League MVP, is hitting a career-high .327 with 20 doubles, one triple, 18 homers, 59 RBI and 69 runs scored in 89 games this season for the Cubs. He has been red hot of late, with three multi-hit performances over the past five games. In Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox, he was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.

The model also knows Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is having a solid season. He is among the team leaders in batting average with a .274 mark, and has 22 doubles, seven triples, 23 homers and 76 RBI, while scoring 66 runs. He has hits in nine of his last 10 games and in 17 of 19. He has four multi-hit performances over the last six games, including a 4-for-5 effort with a homer and three runs scored in a 7-6 win over the Seattle Mariners on Monday.

Now, it has set its sights on Royals vs. Cubs. We can tell you the model is leaning Over on the run total, and it also says one side of the money line has ALL of the value! You ABSOLUTELY need to see it before locking in any MLB picks.

So who wins Royals vs. Cubs, and which side of the money line has ALL of the value? Join SportsLine now to find out, all from the model that is profitable over the past two seasons on top-rated MLB money-line picks!