The Chicago Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds on August 5, 2025. First pitch from Wrigley Field is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. EDT; the game will be broadcast on TBS.
Find my MLB betting preview and Reds vs Cubs pick below, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
My Reds vs Cubs Pick
- Reds vs Cubs Pick: Under 7.5
My Reds vs Cubs best bet is Under 7.5. 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 +119 | 7.5 -104o / -116u | +152 |
| Cubs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -144 | 7.5 -104o / -116u | -182 |
Reds vs Cubs Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP Zack Littell (CIN) | Stat | RHP Shota Imanaga (CHC) |
|---|---|---|
| 8-8 | W-L | 8-4 |
| 0.8 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 0.5 |
| 3.58 / 4.62 | ERA /xERA | 3.25 / 3.87 |
| 4.89 / 4.31 | FIP / xFIP | 4.75 / 4.71 |
| 1.12 | WHIP | 1.04 |
| 12.7% | K-BB% | 13.9% |
| 40.3% | GB% | 28% |
| 86 | Stuff+ | 95 |
| 104 | Location+ | 109 |
The Betting Insider’s Reds vs Cubs Preview
Cincinnati Reds Betting Preview: Littell Improving
Zack Littell will make his Reds debut after being acquired from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline. Littell has quietly been one of the more dependable innings-eaters in baseball this season, logging 133.1 innings across 22 starts with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. He’s struck out 89 batters while issuing only 21 walks, leaning on a sinker-cutter mix that allows him to get ahead in counts, work efficiently in the zone, and minimize free passes.
While he’s prone to the occasional long ball, his improved control and ability to limit hard contact recently make him a better bet to avoid big innings. Littell’s season-long hard-hit rate is a worrying 42.5%, but he has made notable strides since early June, bringing that number down to approximately 35% He’s been in peak form over his last 7 starts, posting a 2.88 ERA with 28 strikeouts and 10 walks in 40.2 innings.
Chicago Cubs Betting Preview: Reds to Struggle Against <span >Imanaga</span>
Shota Imanaga has been slightly more volatile than the Cubs would've hoped for in his second MLB season, but he has still managed to put together a very strong season. Through 15 starts, the left-hander owns an 8–4 record with a 3.25 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP across 83 innings, striking out 63 while walking just 17. If you exclude three blowup outings against the White Sox, Dodgers, and Rangers, he has allowed just 13 earned runs across 12 starts and 69 & 1/3rd innings; good for a 1.69 ERA. His ability to fill the zone and work ahead in counts has been a hallmark of his game, as his walk rate sits near five percent, among the best for qualified starters.
Imanaga hasn’t been as sharp at home this season, but he holds a career 2.97 ERA at Wrigley and gets a great matchup against a struggling Reds squad, who rank 28th in slugging, 22nd in OPS, and 21st in wRC+ since the All-Star Break. They have been especially bad against lefties, ranking 29th in wRC+, slugging, and OPS over that same span.
Both pitchers will be aided by some extremely friendly pitching conditions tonight at Wrigley, with wind blowing in from center field and temperatures sitting in the mid-70s.
Reds vs Cubs Prediction, Betting Analysis
These weather conditions, as well as the public bet splits and line movement, have triggered a few of The Betting Insider’s strongest under systems. Check them out below!
System: Wrigley Field unders, wind blowing in (58% win rate, 11% ROI)
Game is being played at Wrigley Field
Wind direction is “in”
System: Wrigley Field unders, part 2 (64% win rate, 22% ROI)
Game is being played at Wrigley Field
Wind direction is “in”
Average wind speed is at least 5 mph
Total is between 7.5 and 9
System: Heavy home favorites recently going under, wind blowing in (64% win rate, 21% ROI)
Home ML range between -150 and -285
Home team has gone under in at least 3 of their last 5 games
Wind direction is “in”, “from left”, or “from right”
Average temperature is below 80 degrees
Series game #2 or later
Since 2017
System: Sharp money unders (60% win rate, 15% ROI)
The under is receiving no more than 30% of public bets
The difference between money % and ticket % is between 1 and 76
The O/U change from open to close is between -0.5 and -3.5
Since 2020
Wind not blowing out
Pick: Under 7.5
