Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 5/26/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-128) Pittsburgh (+106)

The Pittsburgh Pirates (28-26) will try to beat the Chicago Cubs (29-25) at PNC Park on Tuesday. The moneyline on this contest has the Cubs at -128 while the Pirates are at +106. The betting total comes in at 9. The pitchers taking the mound will be Jordan Wicks and Braxton Ashcraft.

Chicago has a slugging percentage of .389 and have been rung up 437 times, while being walked on 243 occasions. They have 234 runs batted in as well as 424 hits on the season, and their average at the plate is at .238. The Cubs have tallied 78 doubles as a unit and have knocked 60 balls out of the stadium. They have earned 253 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .336. As a unit, the Chicago Cubs are compiling 4.8 runs/g, which is 7th in baseball.

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They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.62 and the pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.23. Cubs pitchers have given up 73 home runs and also 233 total runs (17th in baseball). Chicago has conceded 417 hits (8.0 per 9 innings) and 216 earned runs. The Cubs are sitting with a team earned run average of 4.12 for the year (16th in baseball), and their staff has struck out 425 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 162 opposing hitters and their FIP is 4.42 as a squad so far this year.

The Cubs have sent 160 relief pitchers to the hill this year. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 71 base runners on the season with 28.2% of them ended up scoring. The relief pitchers have earned 11 holds for the year (30th in the league). Cubs relief pitchers have come into the game with runners on 50 times in addition to having 50 appearances in high leverage situations. They have 10 saves this season and have blown 7 of their 17 save opportunities. The Cubs bullpen have compiled a save rate of 58.8% and have entered the game in 31 save situations.

The Chicago Cubs have a tally of 1,414 putouts on the campaign, as well as 501 assists and 25 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .987 which has them sitting 14th in baseball, and they have turned 36 double plays. The Cubs have transformed 72.1% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 4,242 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 5th in professional baseball.

Wicks has taken the hill for 95 frames and has accumulated 79 strikeouts during his pro baseball career. His ERA is 5.21 (55 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.516. He has given up 112 base hits (10.6 hits per nine innings) and has had 32 walks. Wicks (6-6 career win-loss record) is the owner of a FIP of 5.13 and he has faced 426 opposing hitters in the major leagues.

Pittsburgh has tallied 55 home runs so far this season as well as 245 runs batted in. They have tallied 75 two-baggers, while taking a walk 205 times as well as scoring 256 runs. The Pittsburgh Pirates have accounted for a team OBP of .332 in addition to a team batting average of .249 on the season. The Pirates hold a team slugging percentage of .386 and they score 4.83 runs per contest (5th in the league). They have been called out on strikes on 494 occasions (2nd in MLB) and have tallied 459 hits.

The Pirates have a WHIP of 1.233 with a FIP of 3.75 as a staff on the campaign. They are currently ranked 9th in baseball as a staff in total hits relinquished with 403. The Pittsburgh pitching staff have allowed 234 runs over the course of the season and come in with a team ERA of 3.84 (205 earned runs relinquished). Their strikeout to walk ratio is 8.80 (472 strikeouts vs 189 walks). They have given up 46 homers and they concede 4.39 runs per 9 innings (13th in the league).

Pittsburgh bullpen pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 34.4% out of 64 inherited base runners. Their relievers have stepped onto the hill 55 times in high leverage situations and on 52 occasions with runners on. With 53 save situations, the Pirates have recorded 31 holds in addition to 12 blown saves. They are ranked 29th in baseball holding a save percentage of 42.9%, and they have sent 178 relievers onto the diamond on the season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have gotten 40 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .985 (22nd in pro baseball). The Pirates have accrued 445 assists, 29 errors and have a total of 1,442 putouts for the season. In 4,326 innings on the diamond, the Pirates have a defensive efficiency of 70.9% (9th in baseball).

So far in his pro baseball career, Ashcraft has allowed 111 base hits while earning 136 punch outs in 131 innings pitched. Ashcraft (7-6 mark in his career) is the owner of a 2.81 ERA while giving up 7.6 hits per 9 innings. He has conceded a total of 41 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.150 and having a FIP of 2.8. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.40 and he has gone up against 538 batters so far in his career.

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

Parlay's Pundit's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (+106) and under 9 runs

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