Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 9/16/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-160) Pittsburgh (+132)

The Pittsburgh Pirates (65-85) are welcoming the Chicago Cubs (85-64) at PNC Park on Tuesday. The moneyline on this game has Chicago at -160 and Pittsburgh is coming in at +132. The betting total comes in at 9. The pitchers taking the mound are Cade Horton and Paul Skenes.

As a team, the Chicago Cubs are earning 4.9 runs per outing, which has them at 7th in baseball. They have a total of 727 runs scored and hold an OBP of .320. The Cubs have accounted for 245 doubles as a squad and have hit 200 baseballs out of the park. They have accrued 710 runs batted in as well as 1,258 base knocks for the season, and their team batting average is .249. Chicago has a slugging rate of .427 and have struck out 1,165 times, while being walked on 513 occasions.

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They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 3.05 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.19. Cubs pitchers have given up 184 long balls and also 605 runs in total (6th in baseball). Chicago has yielded 1,200 hits (8.2 per 9 innings) in addition to 567 earned runs. The Cubs are sitting with a team ERA of 3.86 so far this year (9th in the league), and they have struck out 1,146 hitters. They have walked 376 opposing players and their FIP comes in at 4.19 as a team this season.

The Cubs relievers have a save percentage of 67.8% and have entered the game in 165 save situations. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 132 base runners for the year with 33.3% of those runners ended up scoring. Cubs bullpen pitchers have gone to the mound with players on base 95 times as well as having 152 appearances in high leverage situations. The Cubs have sent 485 relievers to the hill this season. The bullpen have 103 holds this season (2nd in the league). They have recorded 40 saves so far this season and have not converted 19 of their 59 chances to get a save.

The Cubs have transformed 71.6% of balls hit into play into outs in their 11,898 innings, which has them sitting at 3rd in professional baseball. The Boston Red Sox have a tally of 3,966 putouts this year, as well as 1,257 assists and 57 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .989 which ranks 5th in baseball, and have a total of 115 double plays.

Horton has taken the mound for 110 innings and has earned 89 punch outs so far in his MLB career. Horton (10-4 career mark) is the owner of a FIP of 2.66 while he has faced 446 batters in the majors. His earned run average is 2.70 (33 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.109. He has allowed 90 base knocks (7.4 hits per nine innings) with 32 free passes.

The Pirates hold a slugging percentage of .349 and they average 3.60 runs per game (30th in baseball). They have hit 223 doubles, while getting a free base 495 times as well as recording 540 runs. Pittsburgh has compiled 107 home runs so far this year to go along with 519 runs batted in. They have been called out on strikes on 1,313 occasions (8th in baseball) and have accounted for 1,149 base hits. The Pittsburgh Pirates have accumulated an OBP of .305 in addition to a batting average of .231 this year.

The Pittsburgh pitching staff have surrendered 610 runs on the year while having an ERA of 3.87 (568 earned runs conceded). They have surrendered 140 homers and they surrender 4.15 runs per 9 innings (8th in the league). The Pirates have a WHIP of 1.222 in addition to having a FIP of 3.86 as a team this year. Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 8.20 (1,200 strikeouts vs 439 walks). They are sitting at 9th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 1,177.

Pittsburgh relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 36.8% of 201 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 147 times in high leverage situations and also on 131 occasions with runners on base. Sitting with 125 save situations, the Pirates have 66 holds in addition to 24 blown saves. They are currently ranked 24th in baseball with a save percentage of 57.9%, and they have dispatched 468 relievers to the hill on the year. Pittsburgh has called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the mound in 57 save chances and they have come away with 33 saves.

In 11,904 innings on the diamond, the Pirates have a efficiency on defense of 70.7% (8th in pro baseball). The Pittsburgh Pirates have gotten 109 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .986 (14th in pro baseball). The Pirates have recorded 1,238 assists, 72 errors and have a tally of 3,968 putouts this season.

Skenes (21-12 win-loss mark in his career) has earned a 1.94 earned run average while giving up 6.3 hits per 9 innings. His strikeout to walk ratio is 5.25 and he has faced 1,205 opposing batters so far in his career. He has allowed 67 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 0.932 and being the owner of a FIP of 1.9. During his career, Skenes has given up 219 base knocks and he has 373 strikeouts in 311 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+132)

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