The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Chicago Cubs on April 24, 2026. First pitch from UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium is scheduled for 10:15 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on Apple TV+.
The Dodgers are favored by -163 on the moneyline and by -1.5 on the run line. The Cubs are +135 on the moneyline and +1.5 on the run line. The total is set at 9 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Cubs vs Dodgers prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Cubs vs Dodgers Prediction
- Cubs vs Dodgers Pick: Under 9
My Cubs vs Dodgers best bet is on game totals. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Cubs vs Dodgers Odds
| Cubs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -149 | 9 -108o / -112u | +135 |
| Dodgers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +123 | 9 -108o / -112u | -163 |
- Cubs vs Dodgers moneyline: Cubs +135, Dodgers -163
- Cubs vs Dodgers over/under: 9 (-108 / -112)
- Cubs vs Dodgers spread: Cubs +1.5 (-149), Dodgers -1.5 (+123)
Cubs vs Dodgers Polymarket Odds
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Cubs vs Dodgers Probable Pitchers
| RHP Jameson Taillon (CHC) | Stat | RHP Emmet Sheehan (LAD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | W-L | 2-0 |
| -0.2 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 0.0 |
| 3.97 / 4.44 | ERA / xERA | 5.85 / 4.78 |
| 6.06 / 4.61 | FIP / xFIP | 5.15 / 4.01 |
| 12.6% | K-BB% | 11.6% |
| 33.3% | GB% | 40.0% |
| .241 | BABIP | .286 |
| 92 | Stuff+ | 90 |
| 97 | Location+ | 106 |
Cubs vs Dodgers MLB Betting Preview
Chicago Cubs Betting Preview
The Cubs certainly didn't think they'd be relying so much on 34-year-old Jameson Taillon, but with injuries and ineffectiveness, they've been pretty pleased to get some level of consistency out of the veteran.
Taillon had a quite bizarre start two turns ago against the Pirates, allowing six over six innings with a stunning 10 punchouts, but around that he's been the pitcher we've generally known for years. He's geared towards getting outs on contact through the air with rather tame strikeout numbers and expert control. The walk rate has grown to 9.5% in 2026, which would be a slight cause for concern, but it's too early to read into that.
The right-hander has seen an increase in launch angle to further hammer home his status as a fly-baller, but a lower 32.8% hard-hit rate has helped him to a solid .228 Expected Batting Average. He's going to be vulnerable to the home run, but in the aggregate, he's not prone to putting on too many baserunners.
Offensively, nothing seems to be able to cool this team. The Cubs are currently second in the league with a 122 wRC+, only to the very same Dodgers team that will meet them on Friday, and they've come out with a blistering hot 11.6% walk rate and low 20.7% strikeout rate. They're just eighth with a .160 Isolated Power, but they've demonstrated more consistency than just about anyone.
Los Angeles Dodgers Betting Preview
The fastball velocity is down for young Emmet Sheehan to begin the 2026 season, and except for his start against the Rangers earlier this month, it hasn't seemed to be trending in the right direction. What that's meant for the highly-touted righty is a steep drop in his strikeout rate, which is down around 10 points to 20.9%, and it's also meant he's tried to get some contact back on the ground.
That's led Sheehan to a .267 xBA and .463 xSLG to this point, which is simply concerning. The good news is that opponents aren't necessarily smoking the ball with a low average exit velocity, and he's also maintained some good marks in terms of getting hitters to chase and whiff. This is simply going to be a wait-and-see approach here; there is serious talent with Sheehan but it's hard to get a read on whether or not the drop in velocity is health-related or temporary in any regard.
The benefit for Sheehan is that the Dodgers have the second-best infield defense in baseball right now, posting a +10 Outs Above Average, so his rise in ground balls will help bring his numbers back to Earth. That goes doubly considering the Dodgers' outfield ranks just 18th. There's also the best offense in the league supporting him, so the conditions should be right for a turnaround.
Cubs vs Dodgers Pick, Betting Analysis
When the two best offenses in the league meet, you're generally going to see a high total — and this game, despite being set at Dodger Stadium, is no exception. I'm not exactly saying the line here doesn't deserve to be set at nine runs with how great both lineups are looking, but I do think the Cubs fall right into Sheehan's hands here as a team that's going to put the ball into play — and with a rather tame 39% fly-ball rate we should see this Dodgers infield go to work for Sheehan has he attempts to keep his contact on the ground.
I believe in the young right-hander a lot more than Taillon on the whole, but I do think you have to be similarly encouraged by the veteran's ability to generate fly balls. If the walks come down — which they really should, given Taillon's expert control in a gigantic sample size — the fly balls here should help the righty escape much trouble, save for a solo homer or two.
I'm going to be bold and play the Under here, which certainly isn't fun but seems to be the best value on the board.
Pick: Under 9 (-106) | Play to Under 8.5 (-110)
