Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction: Cubs to take the lead in this opener

Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction and Odds on the Match on August 15, 2025

The Chicago Cubs will take on the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field in Friday’s Major League Baseball. The two teams are coming off a series defeat and will hope for a better result here. With the bookies favouring the Chicago Cubs, can the Pittsburgh Pirates pull off an upset? Let’s get into full game previews and offer predictions. 

Chicago Cubs: Form and Statistics

The Chicago Cubs have struggled lately in recent times as they have now lost their last series. Against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Chicago Cubs only won the second game while losing the other meetings. Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs have failed to win their last five series with their last series win coming against the Chicago White Sox back in July. 

Chicago Cubs: Team News and Lineup

The projected pitcher for the Chicago Cubs in this opener will be Colin Rea. This season, Rea has been impressive with a 9-5 record with a 4.09 average earned runs and 85 strikeouts this season. The Chicago Cubs are batting .252 on the season, have a .321 OBP, and a .434 slugging percentage.

Chicago Cubs: Expected Lineup

Michael Busch (L) 1B, Ian Happ (S) LF, Kyle Tucker (L) RF, Carson Kelly (R) C, Owen Caissie (L) DH, Nico Hoerner (R) 2B, Willi Castro (S) CF, Dansby Swanson (R) SS, Matt Shaw (R) 3B

Pittsburgh Pirates: Form and Statistics

The Pittsburgh Pirates have just suffered a sweeping loss at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers. In that series, the Pittsburgh Pirates scored only six runs but conceded 33. In the meantime, the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Cincinnati Reds in a prior series which extended their record to 17-42 this season. Ahead of this game, the Pittsburgh Pirates sit 14th in the National League and 5th in the Central Division. 

Pittsburgh Pirates: Team News and Lineup

The Pittsburgh Pirates are batting .232 on the season, have a .304 OBP, and a .346 slugging percentage. In the pitching department, the Pittsburgh Pirates staff has a 4.06 average earned runs and a 1.24 WHIP with Bryan Reynolds leading the Pirates with 111 hits and 61 RBI. 

Pittsburgh Pirates: Expected Lineup

Ronny Simon (S) RF, Spencer Horwitz (L) 1B, Bryan Reynolds (S) DH, Tommy Pham (R) LF, Nick Gonzales (R) 2B, Jack Suwinski (L) CF, Joey Bart (R) C, Jared Triolo (R) SS, Isiah Kiner-Falefa (R) 3B

Fremantle Dockers vs Carlton Blues Betting Tips & Odds

• The Chicago Cubs are favourites to win this game according to the bookies. The Chicago Cubs however have dominated this fixture with four wins in their last five games. Despite their poor recent runs, they have a 1.50 moneyline odds on 1Xbet bookmaker.
• The last four games of the Chicago Cubs and other teams have ended with seven or fewer runs. Also, the last four games of this fixture have ended with similar results. A bet on under 9.0 runs is available on Bet365 with odds at 1.86. Meanwhile, under 5.5 runs for the Chicago Cubs is available on 1Xbet with odds at 1.63.
• Ahead of this opener, the Pittsburgh Pirates have lost five consecutive matches having also suffered a sweep. While they will look to end their poor runs, they have a 2.70 odds of winning on Bet365.
• Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Pirates and their opponents have totaled at least eight runs in their last four games with three ending with over 14 runs. Over 9.0 runs is available on Bet365 with odds at 1.95.
• The Chicago Cubs have been tagged favourites 84 times this season and they won 54 out of those encounters or 64.3%. The moneyline for this contest implies a 66.9% chance of a victory for the Chicago Cubs.
• The bookmakers have listed the Pittsburgh Pirates as underdogs 84 times this season and the visiting team won 34 of those games. Meanwhile, the bookies are implying the Pirates have a moneyline victory probability of 37.6%.

Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Match Prediction 15 August 2025

The Pittsburgh Pirates are lost at the moment and getting back on track looks very impossible in a road game like this. While they have just suffered a sweep, their run of performances have been very inconsistent which is clear that they cannot be trusted. On the other hand, the Chicago Cubs have not been at their best lately but considering the level of their performance all season and their group of players, it is very clear they are miles ahead of a side like Pirates. Therefore, with this game expected to be one-sided, I will back the Chicago Cubs to win with many runs. 

Our match prediction is a -1.5 runline for the Chicago Cubs with odds at 2.05 on 1Xbet bookmaker.

Our betting tip is under 9.0 runs with odds at 1.86 on Bet365 bookmaker. 

Our final match prediction is under 3.5 runs for the Pittsburgh Pirates with odds at 1.83 on Betway bookmaker.