The Cleveland Guardians host the Chicago Cubs on April 4, 2026. First pitch from Progressive Field is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on FOX.
The Cubs are favored by -135 on the moneyline and by -1.5 on the run line. The Guardians are +115 on the moneyline and +1.5 on the run line. The total is set at 8 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Cubs vs Guardians prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Cubs vs Guardians Prediction
- Cubs vs Guardians Pick: Shota Imanaga Over 5.5 Strikeouts (+110 or Better)
Cubs vs Guardians Odds
| Cubs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -150 | 8 -105o / -115u | -135 |
| Guardians Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 +125 | 8 -105o / -115u | +115 |
Cubs vs Guardians MLB Betting Preview
Chicago Cubs Player Prop
Rotowire’s projected four through nine batters in the Cleveland lineup all exceed a 26.5% strikeout rate against left-handed pitching since last year.
Shota Imanaga displayed a near two mph velocity spike (92.5 MPH) this pre-season (also 0.8 MPH harder than his 2024) and struck out 18 of 77 batters with an 18.7% swinging-strike rate.
He held most of that in his first start (92.1 MPH), in which he struck out seven of 22 Nationals with a 19.5% swinging-strike rate and 18.9-inch iVB (induced vertical break – rising fastball). For reference, he averaged an 18.3-inch iVB in his rookie season and 18.0 inches last year.
Additionally, Cleveland is a great park for a left-handed fly-ball pitcher, with a league-low 75 home-run factor for right-handed batters (Statcast 3-year).
Pick: Shota Imanaga Over 5.5 Strikeouts (+110 or Better)
