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The Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies continue their three-game series Wednesday night at Coors Field in Denver. First pitch is scheduled for 8:40 PM ET, or 6:40 PM local time, with coverage on Marquee Sports Network, Rockies.TV, and MLB.TV. Chicago enters at 34-33 and fourth in the NL Central, while Colorado improved to 25-42 and remains fifth in the NL West.
Colorado won Tuesday’s opener 7-3 after scoring seven times in the first three innings. Hunter Goodman hit his team-leading 18th home run, Ezequiel Tovar also went deep, and Edouard Julien drove in three runs. The Cubs have lost six of eight and are now 7-21 since their 27-12 start. Colorado ended a four-game losing streak with the victory.
Shota Imanaga starts for Chicago against Michael Lorenzen. The Cubs are sizable road favorites despite Imanaga’s recent home-run problems because Lorenzen owns an 8.01 ERA and 1.99 WHIP. The scoring environment could be extreme, with temperatures near 90 degrees, very low humidity, and stronger winds than the light breeze originally expected.
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Chicago Cubs vs Colorado Rockies Odds
These are the current betting lines for Wednesday’s matchup. Coors Field prices can change quickly once the wind direction and starting lineups become clearer, so bettors should monitor the latest MLB odds before placing a wager.
| Team | Moneyline | Run Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Cubs | -168 | -1.5 (-115) | O 12 (-115) |
| Colorado Rockies | +141 | +1.5 (-106) | U 12 (-106) |
Chicago Cubs Betting Form
Chicago’s early-season momentum has disappeared. The Cubs are scoring 4.6 runs per game for the season, but their production has fallen sharply since the beginning of May. They are still fifth in MLB with a .333 on-base percentage and lead the league in walks, yet those baserunners are not consistently becoming runs. Tuesday was another example. Chicago loaded the bases in the third and placed two runners in scoring position with nobody out in the sixth, but finished with only three runs. Bettors can compare this matchup with the rest of Wednesday’s MLB game previews before deciding whether Chicago’s lineup is ready to break out.
Ian Happ leads the club with 14 home runs, Michael Busch has supplied a team-high 37 RBIs and .371 on-base percentage, and Pete Crow-Armstrong remains the most disruptive baserunning threat. Alex Bregman, Seiya Suzuki, and Dansby Swanson have not produced enough during the current slide. Bregman has been particularly disappointing with runners on base, while Crow-Armstrong’s power has cooled after a strong opening month.
Imanaga is 4-6 with a 4.74 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 74 strikeouts, and 19 walks across 76 innings. His command remains strong, but the home-run problem has become severe. The left-hander has allowed 10 homers over his last three starts and carries a 6.26 ERA across his past seven outings. That is a dangerous profile for a start at Coors Field, where elevated fastballs and hanging splitters can turn into extra-base damage quickly.
Imanaga still gives Chicago a meaningful strikeout and walk advantage. He rarely creates his own trouble through free passes, and Colorado’s lineup is missing several regular outfielders. The concern is that limiting traffic does not help enough if two or three mistakes leave the park. That makes the Cubs more attractive offensively than they are as a favorite at -168.
Chicago’s bullpen covered 3.1 scoreless innings Tuesday after Colin Rea allowed seven runs in 4.2 innings. Ryan Rolison, Eli Morgan, and the remaining relief group prevented the game from becoming a larger defeat. Jameson Taillon has joined the injured list with a hamstring strain, adding to a rotation already missing Matthew Boyd, Justin Steele, and Cade Horton. Those absences place additional pressure on Imanaga to provide length Wednesday.
Colorado Rockies Betting Form
Colorado’s offense showed why Coors Field underdogs remain dangerous. The Rockies collected 12 hits and six walks Tuesday while striking out only four times. Goodman continued his excellent power season, Tovar attacked an early mistake, and the lineup repeatedly extended innings against Rea. The current MLB picks and predictions board can help bettors compare Colorado’s plus price with the other available underdogs.
Goodman leads the club with 18 home runs and has already gone deep five times in June. Willi Castro had three hits in the opener, while Julien and Kyle Karros added two each. T.J. Rumfield, Troy Johnston, Jake McCarthy, and rookie Cole Carrigg provide additional contact, though injuries to Brenton Doyle, Jordan Beck, Mickey Moniak, and Tyler Freeman have reduced Colorado’s lineup depth.
Lorenzen is the primary reason Colorado remains an underdog after winning the opener. The right-hander is 2-8 with an 8.01 ERA and 1.99 WHIP. He has allowed an MLB-high volume of hits and has been unable to work deep consistently. In his last three starts, Lorenzen surrendered 16 earned runs and 23 hits over 12 innings. His latest outing lasted only 3.1 innings, with the Angels scoring eight runs on 10 hits.
There is very little in that profile that supports an immediate turnaround. Lorenzen can generate strikeouts when his secondary pitches are sharp, but he has allowed too many hitters to reach base before getting to two-strike counts. His home ERA was already above 9.00 through his first four starts at Coors Field, and the results have not improved since then.
Colorado’s bullpen delivered four scoreless innings Tuesday, but Seth Halvorsen, Brennan Bernardino, Antonio Senzatela, and Jaden Hill were all needed. The relief group owns an ERA above 5.00 and ranks near the bottom of MLB, so one successful night does not remove the larger concern. Lorenzen’s limited expected workload could force Colorado to ask for five or more bullpen innings Wednesday.
Chicago Cubs vs Colorado Rockies Matchup Breakdown
The starting-pitcher matchup favors Chicago, although not enough to justify blindly laying -168. Imanaga owns the much better WHIP, strikeout-to-walk rate, and expected workload. Lorenzen has allowed almost two baserunners per inning and has completed fewer than four innings in consecutive starts. Chicago should have scoring opportunities almost immediately.
The Cubs’ patient approach is a strong matchup against Lorenzen. Chicago leads MLB in walks and can force him into the stretch before the middle of the order arrives. Busch, Bregman, Suzuki, Happ, Swanson, and Crow-Armstrong should see several plate appearances with runners aboard. Lorenzen has to limit free passes, but throwing more strikes creates a different problem against a lineup entering the most favorable hitting environment in baseball.
Colorado’s path is attacking Imanaga’s home-run weakness. Goodman is the obvious threat, but Tovar, Rumfield, Johnston, Castro, and Julien can also punish elevated pitches. Imanaga has allowed 10 home runs across his last three starts, and Coors Field reduces the margin for error on fly balls that might stay in other parks.
The bullpen matchup favors Chicago, but neither relief group is completely trustworthy. Colorado owns one of MLB’s weakest bullpen ERAs, while Chicago’s injuries have reduced its margin for another short start. If both starters exit before completing five innings, the scoring opportunities should continue well into the late innings.
Wednesday’s weather is more aggressive than a normal warm Denver night. Temperatures should be around 89 degrees at 6 PM local time and remain in the mid-80s through the early innings. Relative humidity could fall near 11 percent, with west winds of 15 to 25 mph and stronger gusts possible. The exact stadium wind direction needs to be checked before betting, but hot, dry, windy conditions generally increase volatility at Coors Field.
The market has already accounted for the venue by posting a total of 12. Still, an MLB betting guide should emphasize that Coors Field is not the only Over factor here. Lorenzen’s 1.99 WHIP, Imanaga’s recent home-run rate, Colorado’s bullpen, and Chicago’s need to recover offensively all point in the same direction.
Chicago Cubs vs Colorado Rockies Predictions and Best Bets
I lean toward Chicago to win, but I would not lay -168 on the moneyline. My projection makes the Cubs approximately a -178 favorite, which leaves only a narrow edge after accounting for their poor recent form and Imanaga’s home-run problems. Chicago is the better team and owns the stronger starting-pitcher profile, but Colorado has already shown it can attack this matchup at home.
The Cubs run line at -115 is more interesting than the moneyline. Lorenzen has allowed 16 earned runs across his last three outings, and Colorado’s bullpen could be asked to cover more than half the game. Chicago has a clear path to seven or eight runs. The problem is Imanaga. A pitcher who has allowed 10 homers in three starts is difficult to trust when a multi-run margin is required.
The total offers the strongest value. Chicago should generate traffic against Lorenzen, and the Rockies have enough right-handed power to attack Imanaga’s elevated fastball. Both teams also had to use four relievers Tuesday, which increases the chance that lower-leverage arms become involved if the game opens up early.
Under bettors can point to Chicago’s recent offensive slump and Colorado’s injury-reduced lineup. Those are legitimate concerns. Still, this is not a standard 12-run total driven only by the Coors Field name. Both starting pitchers bring specific weaknesses that fit the opposing lineup and the environment.
My projected score is Cubs 8, Rockies 6. The premium MLB picks market should still be monitored for a possible move to 12.5, but Over 12 provides important push protection if the game finishes 7-5 or 8-4.
Best Bet: Cubs vs Rockies Over 12 (-115).
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MLB Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
Coors Field games require more than automatically betting the Over. Starting-pitcher workload, bullpen availability, wind direction, lineup injuries, and market adjustment all matter. The top sports handicappers page allows bettors to compare experts who approach high-total games from different angles.
Long-term records, recent results, and transparent profit can also be reviewed through the handicapper leaderboard. That context is useful when deciding whether a total of 12 still offers value or whether the market has already made a complete adjustment for Coors Field.
