Kansas City Royals vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 7/23/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Kansas City Royals vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

Odds/Point Spread: Kansas City (+126) Chicago (-152)

Wrigley Field is the site where the Chicago Cubs (59-41) will attempt to beat the Kansas City Royals (49-52) on Wednesday. The moneyline on this contest has Kansas City at +126 while Chicago opens at -152. The total has been set at 9. The pitchers taking the mound will be Seth Lugo and Colin Rea.

Kansas City has a slugging % of .379 and have been called out on strikes 691 times, while taking a walk on 237 occasions. They have earned 349 runs batted in and 831 base knocks on the year, while their batting average comes in at .245. The Royals have tallied 179 two-baggers as a unit and have smacked 81 balls out of the park. They have earned a total of 355 runs while having a team OBP of .300. As a team, the Kansas City Royals are earning 3.5 runs per game, which puts them at 29th in MLB.

Get all of our MLB Expert Picks

The Royals are sitting with a team ERA of 3.49 for the season (2nd in MLB), and the staff has struck out 820 hitters. Royals pitchers have surrendered 103 home runs and also 375 total runs (2nd in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 297 opposing batters and their FIP is 3.84 as a squad this year. Kansas City has allowed 794 base knocks (8.0 per 9 innings) as well as 348 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.76 and their pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.22.

The Royals bullpen have a save percentage of 69.0% and have entered the game in 94 save situations. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 138 base runners this season with 31.2% of those runners crossed the plate. Royals bullpen pitchers have entered the contest with players on base 98 times in addition to having 110 appearances in high leverage situations. The Royals have sent 328 relief pitchers to the hill over the course of the season. The bullpen have notched 51 holds so far this season (21st in baseball). They have compiled 29 saves on the year and have blown 13 of 42 chances to save the game.

The Royals have turned 71.1% of baseballs in play into outs in their 8,076 innings, which has them ranked 8th in the majors. The Houston Astros have a tally of 2,692 putouts on the year, as well as 899 assists and 43 errors. Their fielding rate sits at .988 which has them ranked 6th in pro baseball, and have accumulated 77 double plays.

Lugo (62-45 career win-loss record) has a FIP of 3.28 while facing 3,914 batters in the majors. He has allowed 842 hits (7.9 hits per 9 innings) and has 252 free passes. His earned run average is 3.33 (353 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.147. Lugo has taken the hill for 954 innings and is sitting with 922 K's in his career.

The Chicago Cubs have recorded an OBP of .324 and a team batting average of .256 this season. They have been rung up on 771 instances (26th in baseball) and have 883 base hits. Chicago has accumulated 150 home runs over the course of the season as well as 516 runs batted in. The Cubs have a SLG% of .447 and they average 5.27 runs per contest (2nd in MLB). They have 171 doubles, while taking a walk 340 times as well as scoring 527 runs.

The Cubs have a team WHIP of 1.229 with a FIP of 4.23 as a pitching staff this year. They come in at 16th in the league as a staff in total hits conceded with 827. The Chicago pitching staff have relinquished 412 runs over the course of the season and come in with a team ERA of 3.87 (383 earned runs relinquished). Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 7.60 (750 strikeouts against 268 bases on balls). They have conceded 124 long balls and they surrender 4.16 runs per 9 innings (12th in the league).

Chicago has called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the hill in 35 save opportunities and they have come away with 24 saves. They sit at 7th in MLB with a save percentage of 68.6%, and they have sent 330 relievers onto the diamond this year. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 100 times in high leverage situations in addition to 70 occasions with runners on base. Chicago relievers have an inherited score rate of 29.2% of 96 inherited base runners. With 101 save situations, the Cubs have earned 63 holds in addition to 11 blown saves.

The Chicago Cubs have turned 81 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .989 (5th in MLB). The Cubs have recorded 843 assists, 40 errors and have a tally of 2,675 putouts during this campaign. In 8,025 innings on the field, the Cubs are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 71.3% (6th in baseball).

During his career, Rea has allowed 529 base knocks while he has totaled 436 punch outs in 543 frames. He has surrendered 268 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.278 and having a FIP of 4.4. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.64 and he has faced 2,307 opposing batters during his MLB career. Rea (34-23 win-loss mark in his career) is the owner of a 4.44 ERA while giving up 8.8 hits per 9 innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Kansas City (+126)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here