The San Francisco Giants host the Chicago Cubs on August 26, 2025. First pitch from Oracle Park is scheduled for 9:45 p.m. EDT; the game will be broadcast on MARQ.
The Cubs are favored to stretch their winning streak to four games Tuesday as they open up a three-game series at Oracle Park, as Matthew Boyd (2.61 ERA, 148 IP) will face off against Justin Verlander (4.64 ERA, 110 and 2/3 IP).
Find my MLB betting preview and Cubs vs Giants prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
My Cubs vs Giants Prediction
- Cubs vs Giants pick: Cubs ML (-140, play to -150)
My Cubs vs Giants best bet is on Cubs moneyline. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Cubs vs Giants Odds
| Cubs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +123 | 7.5 -115o / -108u | -143 |
| Giants Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -150 | 7.5 -115o / -108u | +118 |
Cubs vs Giants Projected Starting Pitchers
| LHP Matthew Boyd (CHC) | Stat | RHP Justin Verlander (SFG) |
|---|---|---|
| 12-6 | W-L | 1-10 |
| 3.4 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 1.4 |
| 2.61/3.29 | ERA /xERA | 4.64/4.39 |
| 3.29/3.94 | FIP / xFIP | 3.88/4.55 |
| 1.04 | WHIP | 1.44 |
| 16.5% | K-BB% | 12.7% |
| 39.8% | GB% | 35.1% |
| 95 | Stuff+ | 106 |
| 107 | Location+ | 93 |
Nick Martin’s Cubs vs Giants Preview
Chicago Cubs Betting Preview: Offense Waking Up at the Right Time
After a tough stretch of play throughout July and early August, the Cubs are trending in better form as they enter this series in the midst of an 8-2 run, including an important series win over the Milwaukee Brewers last week.
Based on the expected pitching matchups, they will likely be slight favorites in all three games of this series before heading to Coors Field to take on the lowly Colorado Rockies, so the opportunity is there for the Cubs to continue clawing back into the race for the NL Central.
With Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker both battling through horrid stretches at the plate, the Cubs' offensive production had fallen off tremendously prior to their 8-2 tear. Tucker went 5-for-12 over the weekend at Angel Stadium and could be a likely candidate to stabilize in the near future given the level of consistency he has offered throughout his career.
The Cubs rank 20th in wRC+ versus right-handed pitching since the All-Star break but rank sixth in wRC+ versus righties throughout the entirety of the season. While it feels as though PCA's struggles at the plate may be far from over, they still offer a deep lineup that will provide a tough test for a struggling righty in Verlander.
While Boyd does not appear to be as dominant as his 2.63 ERA suggests, his underlying profile is still quite strong. He holds an xERA of 3.29 and an xFIP of 3.94, as well as a strikeout minus walk rate of 16.5%. Across 56 and 1/3 innings since July 1st he's pitched to an ERA of 2.56 and holds an xFIP of 3.66.
San Francisco Giants Betting Preview: Verlander and Giants Searching for Answers
Betting against Verlander over the last two seasons has been an excellent betting strategy, as throughout his 39 starts the Houston Astros and Giants have played to a record of 12-27, and fading him in those outings would have yielded a +42% ROI.
Verlander's average fastball velocity is down to 94.2 MPH this season, and his chase, whiff, and strikeout rates are all well below league average. He holds an xERA of 4.39, an xFIP of 4.55, and a strikeout minus walk rate of 12.7%. His recent results have been comparable to the rest of his season, as he holds an ERA of 4.50 and an xFIP of 4.36.
The Giants have struggled mightily with left-handed pitching this season, as they rank last in MLB with a wRC+ of 74. They have been comparably unproductive versus lefties recently, as they own a wRC+ of 70 since the All-Star break and rank 23rd in hard-hit rate and BB/K ratio.
Cubs vs Giants Prediction, Betting Analysis
This appears to be a good spot to back the red-hot Cubs earning another win as they attempt to make a late push for the division title. Verlander has consistently offered below-average results over the last two seasons and will face a tough test in this matchup versus a Cubs side that has been finding its form offensively of late and has hit righties well this season.
While Boyd appears to be the superior starter by a fairly significant margin, he's also getting a significantly easier matchup than Verlander given that the Giants hold the worst wRC+ in the league versus lefties this season.
At -140 there appears to be value backing the Cubs to win Tuesday, and I would bet it down to -150.
Pick: Cubs ML (-140, Fanatics; play to -150)
Moneyline
As outlined, backing the Cubs to win is my favorite play from this matchup.
Run Line (Spread)
At +125 there also looks to be value in betting the Cubs to cover the run-line.
Over/Under
A total of 7.5 looks fair for this matchup.
Cubs vs Giants Betting Trends
