Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 6/12/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (+125) Chicago (-150)

Wrigley Field is the location where the Chicago Cubs (41-26) will compete against the Pittsburgh Pirates (27-41) on Thursday. The odds on this game have Pittsburgh at +125 and Chicago is sitting at -150. The total is 9. The pitchers expected to start will be Andrew Heaney and Jameson Taillon.

Pittsburgh is slugging .343 and have been rung up 595 times, while being walked on 229 occasions. They have 211 RBI's and 515 hits this year, and their team batting average is at .229. The Pirates have recorded 86 doubles as a unit and have hit 48 balls out of the stadium. They have 220 runs while holding a team OBP of .306. As a squad, the Pittsburgh Pirates are notching 3.2 runs per game, which has them at 29th in baseball.

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The Pirates are sitting with a team earned run average of 3.81 on the year (14th in baseball), and they have struck out 504 hitters. Pirates pitchers have relinquished 55 long balls and 275 total runs (14th in baseball). They have walked 204 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 3.73 as a unit on the campaign. Pittsburgh has given up 524 base hits (7.8 per 9 innings) and 256 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.47 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.21.

Pirates bullpen pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 65 times in addition to having 73 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 35 holds so far this year (22nd in the league). The Pirates bullpen have compiled a save rate of 53.8% and have come into the game in 63 save situations. They have accumulated 14 saves this season and have blown 12 of their 26 chances to save the game. The relief pitchers have inherited 103 runners this year and 37.9% of those runners ended up crossing the plate. The Pirates have dispatched 217 relievers to the hill this year.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have accounted for 1,812 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 607 assists and 38 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .985 which has them ranked 21st in baseball, and have a total of 59 double plays. The Pirates have converted 71.3% of balls in play into outs in their 5,436 innings on the field, ranking them 7th in baseball.

Heaney has pitched in 1,086 frames and has earned 1,122 K's during his career. Heaney (54-66 career win-loss record) sits with a FIP of 4.31 and he has gone up against 4,626 hitters in the majors. His ERA is 4.37 (528 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.258. He has allowed 1,043 hits (8.6 hits per 9 innings) and has 323 walks.

The Chicago Cubs have accumulated an OBP of .330 and a team batting average of .258 so far this year. They have been called out on strikes on 530 occasions (20th in the league) and have accounted for 603 base hits. Chicago has a total of 94 home runs this season and 366 RBIs. The Cubs have a team slugging percentage of .445 and they score 5.58 runs per outing (1st in MLB). They have hit 123 doubles, while getting a free base 245 times as well as putting up 374 runs.

The Cubs have a team WHIP of 1.243 in addition to having a FIP of 3.94 as a squad this year. They come in at 17th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 557. The Chicago pitching staff have surrendered 266 runs this season while having an ERA of 3.65 (243 earned runs surrendered). Their K/BB ratio sits at 7.80 (518 strikeouts against 188 free passes). They have given up 71 dingers and they concede 4.00 runs per 9 innings (11th in MLB).

Chicago relief pitchers have an inherited score rate of 31.4% out of 70 inherited runners. Their relief pitchers have come in 71 times in high leverage situations and on 50 occasions with runners on. With 67 save situations, the Cubs have tallied 42 holds and 8 blown saves. They rank 12th in the league with a save rate of 65.2%, and they have dispatched 225 relief pitchers onto the field this year. Chicago has had relief pitchers take the mound in 23 save chances and they have converted 15 saves.

The Chicago Cubs have turned 58 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .987 (14th in pro baseball). The Cubs have recorded 572 assists, 31 errors and are sitting with 1,799 putouts on the campaign. In 5,397 innings played, the Cubs have a defensive efficiency of 70.3% (13th in pro baseball).

In his career, Taillon has allowed 1,133 base hits and he has 1,033 strikeouts in 1,183 frames. He has allowed 509 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.195 and having a FIP of 3.8. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.68 and he has faced 4,910 hitters thus far in his career. Taillon (77-56 career record) has earned a 3.87 ERA while giving up 8.6 hits per nine innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+125)

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