MLB picks: Red Sox vs. Cubs prediction, best bets, odds, props for July 19 from proven model

The Cubs have the best record in the National League, and can they improve upon it on Saturday with a second straight win over the Red Sox?

The Boston Red Sox have gained some serious ground in the AL East standings, as they entered the MLB All-Star Break on a 10-game winning streak. Boston, however, lost its first game out of the break, a 4-1 road decision to the Chicago Cubs. The Red Sox will try to cut the Toronto Blue Jays' 4-game lead in the AL East when they face the Cubs on Saturday, July 19, at 7:15 p.m. ET on FOX.

Baseball fans looking to get into MLB betting can get the latest Red Sox vs. Cubs predictions and player props from the SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every game 10,000 times. 

The Cubs are sending out southpaw Shota Imanaga (6-3, 2.65 ERA), while the Red Sox look to bounce back after their 10-game winning streak was snapped last night with Brayan Bello (6-3, 31.4 ERA) on the mound. At FanDuel Sportsbook, Imanaga's strikeout prop is 5.5 (Over -102, Under -124), while Bello's is 4.5 (Over -122, Under -108). Imanaga Under 5.5 strikeouts and Bello Over 4.5 strikeouts are both rated as 3.5-star recommendations by the SportsLine Projection Model. Its favorite pitching prop for this one is Bello Under 3.5 earned runs allowed (-145), which gets 4.5 stars with a projection of 2.6 earned runs allowed. 

Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has the second-shortest NL MVP odds at +600, only trailing sizable favorite Shohei Ohtani at -800. Crow-Armstrong does have the shortest odds to homer in this clash, though, as he's atop the odds board at +370. Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman is second at +390, followed by a trio of Cubs that are all at +400—Kyle Tucker, Michael Busch and Seiya Suzuki. 

The Cubs are -148 favorites (wager $148 to win $100) in the latest SportsLine consensus odds, while the Red Sox are +124 (wager $100 to win $124) underdogs. The total currently sits at 9, with the Under favored at -116. You can find the model's latest projections and expert picks for Red Sox-Cubs at SportsLine.

Here are the SportsLine model's projections for Red Sox vs. Cubs on Saturday.

BOSTON RED SOX at CHICAGO CUBS | 7/19 | 7:15 p.m. ET

Money line
Pick: Cubs -148
Chicago wins in 65% of simulations, bringing value at these odds

Run line
Pick: Cubs -1.5 (+134)
Chicago covers in 42% of simulations

Over/Under
Pick: Over 9 (-104)
The Over hits in 46.2% of simulations

Projected score: Cubs 5.2, Red Sox 4.3