There are times I don't care who is pitching, or who's in the lineup. The only thing that matters to me is the weather forecast, and tonight is one of those times. By the time the first pitch is thrown at Wrigley this evening temps will be in the high-50 with winds steadily blowing in from left between 15 and 20 mph. Good luck getting the ball into the bleachers tonight.

Marcus Stroman pitches for the Cubs tonight. Enough said. No really, Stroman has been that good with a 2.42 ERA and pitching 65 cents on the betting line better than the average big league pitcher. Over his last five starts he has allowed just five earned runs over 35 2/3 innings for a 1.27 ERA. He has allowed two runs or fewer in eight of his last nine starts. The Pirates offense has been slightly below average on the road versus righthanded pitchers. I expect Stroman to strike out eight or more Pirates. My model has the Cubs winning this game at a 70% rate (-233 on the betting line).

Marcus Stroman's been great. So great that he's probably earning himself a ticket out of Chicago around the trade deadline. And one of the reasons he might be leaving is that the Cubs have all but stopped hitting. They've managed just an 82 wRC+ as a team over the last month, and that's including the outbursts over the last few days. Stroman might beat the Pirates, but it's likely to be a close game. Pittsburgh is covering in 62% of my model's simulations.

Thought I had lost on the Cubs Wednesday when them down 5-1 early but they rallied to score double-digit runs for a second game in a row and win. It shouldn't take that many runs for them to win tonight with ace Marcus Stroman (7-4, 2.42) on the hill. His season ERA is better at home (2.15) and at night (2.00). The Cubs have won his past five and he has allowed only five ER in them. Cubs OF Seiya Suzuki is locked with three multi-hit games in his past four. It's Johan Oviedo (3-5, 4.16) for the Bucs. He has a 4.60 road ERA. The winds will be blowing in about 20 mph tonight. Stroman is a ground-ball pitcher anyways.

The wind is blowing in at Wrigley Field at 20 mph, it’s expected to be 58 degrees, and Cubs ace Marcus Stroman is on the mound. Stroman is having the best run of his career and he had to be licking his chops when he saw the wind report. The Cubs have won his last five starts allowing only five runs combined. I’m on the Cubs to win.