Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals Picks and Prediction for Friday May 29 2026
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The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals begin their series on Friday, May 29, 2026, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. First pitch is scheduled for 8:15 PM ET with coverage available on MLB.TV. St. Louis enters the matchup as a slight favorite according to the matchup predictor, while the total and full betting market information remain limited outside of available odds data. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks for more action around the league.
Starting Pitchers
Chicago is expected to hand the ball to Shota Imanaga, who enters this matchup with a 4-5 record, a 4.04 ERA, and a 1.07 WHIP across 64.2 innings. He has allowed 52 hits while striking out 67 batters and walking only 17. On the other side, St. Louis is scheduled to start Kyle Leahy, who is 5-3 with a 4.44 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP over 50.2 innings. Leahy has surrendered 58 hits while recording 42 strikeouts and 22 walks this season.
Cubs Looking to Regain Momentum on the Road
Chicago enters this game with a 30-26 overall record and a 12-15 mark away from home. The Cubs recently snapped a losing streak with a 10-4 victory over Pittsburgh after previously dropping games against Pittsburgh and Houston. Chicago has lost four of its last five games overall, including low-scoring losses of 2-1 and 3-0 during that stretch. Despite the recent struggles, the Cubs remain above .500 and continue to stay competitive in the division race.
The Cubs are batting .238 as a team while scoring 265 runs and collecting 451 hits this season. Chicago has hit 63 home runs with a .336 on-base percentage and a .389 slugging percentage. On the pitching side, the Cubs own a 4.22 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP while holding opponents to a .239 batting average. Chicago has also recorded 451 strikeouts this season and owns a strong 17-12 record in night games.
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One of Chicago’s biggest strengths has been the ability to limit opposing hitters. The Cubs hold opponents to a .239 batting average, which is noticeably better than the .254 opponent average allowed by St. Louis. Even though Chicago has struggled recently, the pitching staff has generally kept games within reach and gives the Cubs an opportunity to compete consistently.
Cardinals Trying to Bounce Back at Busch Stadium
St. Louis enters Friday night with a 29-25 overall record and a balanced 13-13 home record. The Cardinals recently lost three straight games against Milwaukee after splitting a pair of games against Cincinnati. During the recent losing streak, St. Louis scored only two total runs over the first two games before finally putting together more offense in the 7-6 extra-innings loss. The Cardinals have been inconsistent recently but remain firmly in the middle of the playoff race.
The Cardinals are also batting .238 as a team while scoring 235 runs with 433 hits. St. Louis has produced 60 home runs with a .318 on-base percentage and a .383 slugging percentage. The pitching staff carries a 4.22 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP while opponents are batting .254 against them. St. Louis has walked 198 batters and recorded 414 strikeouts while putting together a strong 19-10 record in night games.
One area that stands out for St. Louis is night-game performance. The Cardinals have gone 19-10 under the lights this season, which is significantly stronger than their overall home record. That success in night games could become important in a matchup between two teams with nearly identical offensive and pitching numbers overall.
Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals Picks and Prediction
Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals Pick
- Pick: Chicago Cubs Moneyline
Chicago enters this matchup with the stronger starting pitching numbers and a slightly better overall statistical profile on the mound. The Cubs also hold the lower WHIP and opponent batting average, which could become important against a St. Louis lineup that has struggled offensively during its recent losing streak. Even though Chicago has dropped four of its last five games, the Cubs responded with a strong 10-4 win in their most recent outing. I think the combination of stronger starting pitching and better overall defensive metrics gives Chicago a slight edge in this matchup.
Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals Total Pick
- Pick: Under 8.5
I’m leaning toward the under because both teams have been involved in several lower-scoring games recently. Chicago recently lost games by scores of 2-1 and 3-0, while St. Louis scored only one run in back-to-back losses against Milwaukee. Both teams also carry identical 4.22 ERAs, and Chicago’s pitching staff has done a good job limiting opposing hitters overall. With both offenses struggling for consistency over the last week, this feels like a matchup that could stay relatively controlled offensively.
Final Score Prediction: Chicago Cubs 4 – St. Louis Cardinals 3
This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Thursday.
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