- Matchup: Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates
- Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2026
- Venue: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
- Broadcast: SportsNet Pittsburgh
- Betting Odds: Chicago (-128), Pittsburgh (+106)
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The Pittsburgh Pirates (28-26) are set to challenge the Chicago Cubs (29-25) at PNC Park on Tuesday. The Cubs come in with a moneyline of -128, while the Pirates are at +106. The over/under is set at 9 runs. Pitchers for this matchup include Jordan Wicks and Braxton Ashcraft.
The Cubs have recorded a slugging percentage of .389 with 437 strikeouts and 243 walks this season. They have driven in 234 runs and tallied 424 hits, resulting in a batting average of .238. Collectively, the Cubs have achieved 78 doubles and 60 home runs. They have scored a total of 253 runs with an on-base percentage of .336, averaging 4.8 runs per game, ranking 7th in Major League Baseball.
The Cubs’ pitching staff holds a K/BB ratio of 2.62 alongside a WHIP of 1.23. Their pitchers have conceded 73 home runs, allowing a total of 233 runs (17th in the league). With 417 hits surrendered and 216 earned runs, Chicago’s team ERA stands at 4.12 (ranking 16th). They have also tallied 425 strikeouts, while allowing 162 walks, resulting in a FIP of 4.42 for the season.
This year, the Cubs have utilized 160 relief pitchers. Their bullpen has inherited 71 base runners, with 28.2% scoring. Collectively, they hold 11 holds (30th in the league), entering games with runners on base 50 times and facing high-pressure situations in 50 appearances. The Cubs have recorded 10 saves this season, with 7 blown saves from 17 opportunities, resulting in a save rate of 58.8% across 31 situations.
The Chicago Cubs have executed 1,414 putouts, 501 assists, and made 25 errors this year, leading to a fielding percentage of .987 (14th in MLB). They have converted 36 double plays and transformed 72.1% of balls in play into outs during their 4,242 innings, putting them 5th overall in professional baseball.
Jordan Wicks has pitched 95 innings in his career, recording 79 strikeouts. He currently holds an ERA of 5.21 (allowing 55 earned runs) and a WHIP of 1.516, yielding 112 hits (10.6 hits per nine innings) alongside 32 walks. Wicks possesses a career record of 6-6 and has faced 426 batters in the majors.
On the other side, the Pittsburgh Pirates have produced 55 home runs this season and recorded 245 RBIs. They have achieved 75 doubles while drawing 205 walks and scoring a total of 256 runs. The Pirates boast a team on-base percentage (OBP) of .332 and a batting average of .249, alongside a slugging percentage of .386, which contributes to an impressive 4.83 runs scored per game (5th in the league). They have struck out 494 times (2nd in MLB) and amassed 459 hits.
Pittsburgh’s pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.233 and a FIP of 3.75. They rank 9th in MLB in hits allowed, conceding 403 hits. The pitching team has yielded 234 runs, accumulating a team ERA of 3.84 (205 earned runs). Their strikeout-to-walk ratio stands at 8.80 (472 strikeouts vs. 189 walks), while allowing 46 home runs and 4.39 runs per nine innings (13th in the league).
Pirate relievers have inherited 64 base runners, allowing 34.4% to score. They have pitched in 55 high-pressure situations and 52 times with runners on base. Handling 53 save opportunities, they have recorded 31 holds alongside 12 blown saves, resulting in a save percentage of 42.9% (29th in MLB) with a total of 178 relief appearances so far.
The Pittsburgh Pirates hold a fielding percentage of .985 (22nd in the league) with 445 assists, 29 errors, and 1,442 putouts. Over 4,326 innings, they maintain a defensive efficiency rating of 70.9%, placing them 9th in professional baseball.
Throughout his career, Ashcraft has allowed 111 hits while striking out 136 batters across 131 innings. He holds a career mark of 7-6 with an impressive 2.81 ERA, giving up just 7.6 hits per nine innings and a WHIP of 1.150, alongside a FIP of 2.8. His K/BB ratio is 3.40 as he has faced 538 batters to date.
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s MLB encounter, either against the spread or the moneyline?
Choice: Back Pittsburgh (+106) and the under on 9 runs
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