The Chicago Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds on August 28, 2026. First pitch from Wrigley Field is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on MARQ.
The Cubs are favored by -183 on the moneyline and by +109 on the run line. The Reds are +170 on the moneyline and -131 on the run line. The total is set at 8.5 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Reds vs Cubs prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Reds vs Cubs Prediction
- Reds vs Cubs Pick: Rhett Lowder Over 1.5 BB / David Peterson Under 4.5 Hits Allowed (+174)
My Reds vs Cubs best bet is a parlay combining these Lowder and Peterson props this afternoon. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Reds vs Cubs Odds
| Reds Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -131 | 8.5 -101o / -119u | +170 |
| Cubs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +109 | 8.5 -101o / -119u | -183 |
- Reds vs Cubs moneyline: Reds +170, Cubs -183
- Reds vs Cubs over/under: 8.5 (-101o / -119u)
- Reds vs Cubs spread: Reds +1.5 (-131), Cubs -1.5 (+109)
Reds vs Cubs Probable Pitchers
| Rhett Lowder (RHP, CIN) | Stat | David Peterson (LHP, CHC) |
|---|---|---|
| 5-8 | W-L | 7-7 |
| 1.1 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 1.2 |
| 5.13 / 5.11 | ERA / xERA | 5.17 / 4.88 |
| 4.67 / 4.74 | FIP / xFIP | 4.01 / 4.06 |
| 8.4 | K-BB% | 10.2 |
| 41.3 | GB% | 50.1 |
| .297 | BABIP | .321 |
| 87 | Stuff+ | 89 |
| 104 | Location+ | 102 |
Reds vs Cubs MLB Betting Preview
Cincinnati Reds Betting Preview
Two pretty uninteresting SPs going at it in this one. The Reds righty Rhett Lowder will make the start. Lowder is a pitch-to-contact righty with just a 17% K% this year. The command hasn't been pristine either with a BB% around 9%. And he's given up 15 homers in 107 innings. So he does nothing well.
Let's check the projection from MLB Data Warehouse: 88 pitches, 5.2 IP, 2.9 ER, 4.1 K, 2.8 BB.
Nothing special there. 4+ strikeouts on Lowder is priced at -147, which is not something we like. Over 1.5 walks is at -165, and he's been under 1.5 plenty of times this year. He's about a league-average walk rate pitcher. The boost comes from this super-patient Cubs lineup. They lead the league in walk rate.
So I'm fine with Lowder over 1.5 BB at -165. The line should probably be more like -125, but it feels very likely to hit. He's usually walking one or two guys per start, and the Cubs take 2+ walks against the starter more than 65% of the time.
Chicago Cubs Betting Preview
On the bump for the Cubs is lefty David Peterson. He has been better with the Cubs, as that elite infield defense has helped him with his high ground-ball rate. Peterson has a 3.93 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP with the Cubbies on a 9.9% K-BB%.
- His BABIP with the Mets: .350
- His BABIP with the Cubs: .279
That has to do with luck, but also has to do with Peterson going from one of the worst infield defenses to the best. He's a 51% GB% pitcher with a low 19% strikeout rate. A lot of balls get hit on the ground against him, so upgrading that infield defense would benefit him more than a lot of other pitcher types.
The Reds recently made some changes, waiving Eugenio Suarez. He was still an impact bat against lefties despite his overall struggles.
So the Reds lineup has found a way to get even worse now. They've hit .239/.314/.385 against lefties since June 1st. That's a .699 OPS. They strike out 25% of the time and have a very low .298 xwOBA.
We like Peterson in this spot at home.
Reds vs Cubs Pick, Betting Analysis
It's hard to love either pitcher, but it's very clear who has the better and worse matchup.
We like Lowder to walk a couple of batters and Peterson to be pretty effective in this start. That's where my parlay comes from.
That gives us nice +174 odds, and you get to enjoy some Friday afternoon baseball with a little bit of a sweat.
Pick: Rhett Lowder Over 1.5 BB (-165) / David Peterson Under 4.5 Hits Allowed (-114)
