Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 5/1/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-210) Pittsburgh (+172)

PNC Park is where the Pittsburgh Pirates (11-19) will attempt to defeat the Chicago Cubs (18-12) on Thursday. The moneyline on this contest has Chicago at -210 and Pittsburgh is coming in at +172. The total comes in at 8.5. The pitchers taking the mound will be Colin Rea and Paul Skenes.

As a squad, the Chicago Cubs are putting up 6.0 runs per game, which ranks them 1st in baseball. They have notched a total of 181 runs while holding a team OBP of .343. The Cubs have tallied 60 two-baggers as a team and have smacked 42 balls out of the park. They have accounted for 178 RBI's in addition to 278 hits over the course of the season, while their batting average is .263. Chicago has a slugging percentage of .456 and have been rung up 243 times, while drawing a walk on 123 occasions.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 2.21 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.35. Cubs pitchers have conceded 33 home runs and also 133 total runs (19th in baseball). Chicago has given up 257 base knocks (8.6 per 9 innings) as well as 123 earned runs. The Cubs have compiled a team earned run average of 4.10 for the year (17th in the league), and their staff has rung up 236 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 107 opposing players and their FIP is 4.22 as a team on the campaign.

The Cubs have sent 105 relievers to the mound so far this season. The relief pitchers have inherited 35 base runners so far this year and 37.1% of those runners ended up crossing the plate. They have accumulated 7 saves so far this year and have blown 6 out of their 13 save opportunities. The Cubs relief pitchers have earned a save percentage of 53.8% and have come into the game in 33 save situations. The bullpen are sitting with 19 holds for the year (10th in MLB). Cubs relief pitchers have entered the contest with runners on 25 times in addition to having 33 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Boston Red Sox have 810 putouts thus far, in addition to 237 assists and 16 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .985 which has them sitting 19th in the majors, and have a total of 19 double plays. The Cubs have transformed 69.9% of balls in play into outs in their 2,430 innings, which has them ranked 15th in the majors.

Rea (27-20 career mark) has earned a FIP of 4.37 while going up against 1,980 batters during his time in the majors. He has conceded 449 base hits (8.7 hits per 9 innings) with 141 walks. His earned run average is 4.44 (229 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.270. Rea has taken the mound for 464 frames and has earned 385 strikeouts thus far in his career.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are sitting with an OBP of .303 and a team batting average of .224 for the season. They have struck out on 264 occasions (6th in the league) and have notched a total of 224 base hits. Pittsburgh has 23 home runs this year as well as 100 RBIs. The Pirates have a slugging percentage of .338 and they are scoring 3.40 runs per game (25th in the league). They have 35 doubles, while taking a walk 105 times and scoring 102 runs.

The Pittsburgh pitching staff have yielded 136 runs over the course of the season and come in with a team ERA of 4.15 (124 earned runs relinquished). They have yielded 26 homers and they allow 4.55 runs per 9 innings (18th in the league). The Pirates hold a team WHIP of 1.241 and are the owners of a FIP of 3.84 as a squad so far this year. Their K/BB ratio sits at 7.60 (227 strikeouts vs 94 free passes). They come in at 18th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 240.

With 30 save situations, the Pirates have amassed 19 holds in addition to 5 blown saves. Pittsburgh has had relievers enter the contest in 11 save chances and they have come away with 6 saves. Their relievers have come in 34 times in high leverage situations and on 29 occasions with runners on base. Pittsburgh bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 30.4% out of 46 inherited runners. They rank 24th in MLB holding a save rate of 54.5%, and they have dispatched 100 relievers to the hill for the season.

In 2,424 innings on the field, the Pirates are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 70.3% (14th in the majors). The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 26 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .978 (27th in MLB). The Pirates have 278 assists, 24 errors and have earned 808 putouts over the course of the season.

In his MLB career, Skenes has allowed 120 hits while totaling 209 punch outs in 170 innings. He has allowed a total of 39 ER's while earning a WHIP of 0.917 and having a FIP of 2.0. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 5.81 and he has faced 656 opposing hitters so far in his MLB career. Skenes (14-5 career win-loss record) has earned a 2.06 ERA while giving up 6.3 hits per nine innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Chicago (-210)

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