The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Chicago Cubs on May 28, 2026. First pitch from PNC Park is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on MARQ.
The Pirates are favored by -175 on the moneyline and by -1.5 on the run line. The Cubs are +144 on the moneyline and +1.5 on the run line. The total is set at 7.5 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Cubs vs Pirates prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Cubs vs Pirates Prediction
- Cubs vs Pirates Pick: Pirates F5 -0.5 (-135, DraftKings)
My Cubs vs Pirates best bet is Pirates F5 -0.5. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Cubs vs Pirates Odds
| Cubs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -149 | 7.5 -108o / -112u | +144 |
| Pirates Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +124 | 7.5 -108o / -112u | -175 |
- Cubs vs Pirates moneyline: Cubs +144, Pirates -175
- Cubs vs Pirates over/under: 7.5 (-108o/-112u)
- Cubs vs Pirates spread: Cubs +1.5 (-149), Pirates -1.5 (+124)
Cubs vs Pirates Probable Pitchers
| Colin Rea | Stat | Paul Skenes |
|---|---|---|
| 4-3 | W-L | 6-4 |
| 0.3 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 1.6 |
| 4.83 / 5.16 | ERA / xERA | 3.00 / 2.40 |
| 4.42 / 4.08 | FIP / xFIP | 2.85 / 3.02 |
| 11.5 | K-BB% | 24.1 |
| 47.3 | GB% | 42.4 |
| .301 | BABIP | .230 |
| 94 | Stuff+ | 99 |
| 100 | Location+ | 114 |
Cubs vs Pirates MLB Betting Preview
Chicago Cubs Betting Preview: Searching for Stability
The Cubs (30-26) finally snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 10-4 win over the Pirates yesterday. They'll look to salvage a split in this four-game series against their division rivals.
Chicago is sending out Colin Rea, who has a 5.16 xERA on the season. While he's coming off seven strong innings against the Astros, he's now allowed 12 earned runs in his last three starts spanning 16 innings.
It's going to be a tough spot for the Cubs, as they're at a significant disadvantage on the mound while taking on one of the best pitchers in baseball.
Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview: Lean on Their Ace
The Pirates (29-27) have won three of their last four games and are looking to take three of four from the Cubs with their ace on the mound.
Paul Skenes has been phenomenal this season, putting up a 2.40 xERA across 60 innings. Since his blowup outing on Opening Day, he has posted a 2.28 ERA and a 0.72 WHIP.
Teams have had a really tough time generating any form of offense against Skenes, as he's allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of his last 10 games. This gives the Pirates the edge here, especially in the early innings.
Cubs vs Pirates Pick, Betting Analysis
Even though Skenes has had a pair of rough outings in his last two starts, allowing a combined nine earned runs during that stretch, this looks like a good spot for a bounce-back against a Cubs offense that has a 90 wRC+ over the last seven days (T-20th).
Rea has had issues allowing hard contact, including a 12.3% barrel rate and a 45.6% hard-hit rate. The Pirates have a 103 wRC+ over the last seven days (11th), so there's a good chance they can get to him here.
I'm zeroing in on the pitching matchup, which is why we're going with the first five innings instead of the full game. Give me the Pirates to have a lead after five innings with Skenes on the mound.
Pick: Pirates F5 -0.5 (-135, DraftKings)
