Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Picks and Prediction for Monday May 25 2026
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The Chicago Cubs travel to face the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday, May 25, 2026, at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 PM ET with coverage airing on MLB.TV. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks
Starting Pitchers Ready for NL Central Clash
Chicago is expected to send Ben Brown to the mound for this matchup. Brown enters with a 1-2 record, a 2.09 ERA, and a 0.98 WHIP across 38.2 innings pitched this season. He has allowed only 26 hits and one home run while striking out 40 batters and walking 12. Pittsburgh is projected to counter with Carmen Mlodzinski, who owns a 4-3 record alongside a 3.96 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP in 50 innings. He has surrendered 53 hits while striking out 44 batters and allowing only two home runs this year.
Chicago Searching for Answers After Rough Stretch
The Cubs enter this contest with a 29-23 overall record and an 11-13 mark on the road this season. Chicago recently lost to Houston by scores of 3-0 and 4-2 after previously recently losing to Milwaukee three straight times by scores of 5-0, 5-2, and 9-3. The Cubs have dropped five consecutive games entering this matchup and have struggled offensively throughout that stretch, scoring only seven total runs across those five contests.
Chicago is batting .238 as a team while scoring 248 runs with 417 hits and 59 home runs this season. The Cubs own a .335 on-base percentage and a .390 slugging percentage entering this game. On the pitching side, Chicago carries a 4.05 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP while holding opponents to a .235 batting average. The pitching staff has recorded 417 strikeouts and issued 160 walks this season.
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One major concern for Chicago entering this game is the recent lack of offensive production. Even with respectable season-long numbers offensively, the Cubs have struggled badly over the last five games and have been unable to consistently generate runs. The pitching has remained fairly competitive overall, but the offense will need to improve quickly to reverse the current slide.
Pittsburgh Looking to Defend Home Field
The Pirates come into this matchup with a 26-26 overall record and a 13-13 mark at home this season. Pittsburgh recently lost to Toronto by scores of 5-2 and 6-2 after previously recently winning over St. Louis 6-2 and 7-0. The Pirates also recently lost to the Cardinals 9-6 in 10 innings before bouncing back strongly in the following two games. Pittsburgh has shown the ability to respond well after losses and has remained competitive throughout much of the season.
Pittsburgh is batting .251 as a team while scoring 252 runs with 453 hits and 52 home runs this year. The Pirates own a .332 on-base percentage and a .385 slugging percentage. On the mound, Pittsburgh carries a 3.89 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP while limiting opponents to a .227 batting average. The pitching staff has also recorded 464 strikeouts while issuing 184 walks this season.
One clear strength for Pittsburgh entering this contest has been overall contact hitting and pitching balance. The Pirates own the higher batting average and have also allowed opponents to hit only .227 this season. Pittsburgh has paired that steady offense with solid pitching numbers, helping keep the club around the .500 mark despite recent inconsistency.
Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Picks and Prediction
Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Pick
- Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates Moneyline
Pittsburgh enters this matchup with better recent momentum and stronger overall team production entering the series opener. The Pirates hold advantages in batting average, hits, ERA, and opposing batting average while Chicago has struggled badly offensively during its current five-game losing streak. Even though Chicago holds an advantage in the starting pitching matchup statistically, Pittsburgh’s overall balance and recent offensive edge make the Pirates the preferred side at home.
Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Total Pick
- Pick: Under 8
I would lean toward the under in this matchup because Chicago’s offense has cooled off significantly during the recent losing streak. The Cubs have scored only seven total runs over the last five games, and both teams enter with respectable pitching numbers overall. Chicago’s starting pitcher also carries a strong 2.09 ERA and 0.98 WHIP into this matchup, which could help keep scoring controlled early in the game.
Final Score Prediction: Pittsburgh Pirates 4 – Chicago Cubs 3
This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Sunday.
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