Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 5/27/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-182) Pittsburgh (+150)

The Pittsburgh Pirates (28-26) will try to beat the Chicago Cubs (29-25) at PNC Park on Wednesday. The moneyline on this contest has the Cubs at -182 while the Pirates are coming in at +150. The over/under is 9. The pitchers expected to start will be Jameson Taillon and Bubba Chandler.

Chicago has a slugging rate of .387 and have been called out on strikes 444 times, while drawing a walk on 246 occasions. They have tallied 234 runs batted in and 429 base knocks so far this year, while their team batting average is .236. The Cubs have compiled 78 two-baggers as a unit and have knocked 61 balls out of the stadium. They have 254 runs scored and have an on-base percentage of .334. As a unit, the Chicago Cubs are earning 4.7 runs per game, which has them sitting at 8th in the league.

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They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 2.65 and their pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.23. Cubs pitchers have surrendered 74 long balls and also 235 total runs (15th in the league). Chicago has given up 425 hits (8.0 per 9 innings) and also 218 earned runs. The Cubs hold a team ERA of 4.09 for the season (17th in the league), and their staff has struck out 434 hitters. They have walked 164 batters and their FIP is 4.39 as a team for the year.

Cubs bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill with players on base 50 times in addition to having 51 appearances in high leverage situations. The bullpen have tallied 11 holds so far this year (30th in baseball). The Cubs relievers have a save percentage of 58.8% and have entered the game in 31 save situations. They have recorded 10 saves on the year and have not converted 7 of their 17 save opportunities. The relievers have inherited 71 runners for the year with 28.2% of those runners ended up crossing the plate. The Cubs have sent 162 relief pitchers to the hill on the year.

The Cubs have turned 71.9% of balls in play into outs out of their 4,314 innings, which ranks them 5th in baseball. The Chicago Cubs have amassed 1,438 putouts so far this season, as well as 509 assists and 27 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .986 which has them sitting 16th in the majors, and they have turned 37 double plays.

Taillon (84-64 win-loss record in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 3.87 and he has faced 5,361 hitters in the major leagues. He has allowed 1,234 base hits (8.6 hits per nine innings) and has had 312 walks. His ERA is 3.93 (564 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.197. Taillon has taken the hill for 1,292 innings and has accumulated 1,120 strikeouts thus far in his career.

Pittsburgh has tallied 56 HRs on the season and 247 runs batted in. They have tallied 76 doubles, while taking a walk 207 times as well as scoring 258 runs. The Pittsburgh Pirates have an on-base percentage of .331 in addition to a batting average of .249 for the season. The Pirates have a SLG% of .386 and they tally 4.78 runs per outing (6th in MLB). They have struck out on 503 occasions (2nd in MLB) and have notched a total of 467 hits.

The Pirates have a team WHIP of 1.229 in addition to having a FIP of 3.74 as a staff over the course of the season. They sit at 8th in baseball as a staff in total hits relinquished with 409. The Pittsburgh pitching staff have yielded 235 runs on the season while having an ERA of 3.79 (206 earned runs given up). They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.80 (479 strikeouts vs 192 walks). They have relinquished 47 homers and they allow 4.32 runs per 9 innings (12th in the league).

With 54 save situations, the Pirates have accumulated 31 holds in addition to 12 blown saves. Pittsburgh has had relief pitchers step onto the mound in 22 save opportunities and they have tallied 10 saves. Pittsburgh relievers have an inherited score percentage of 34.4% of 64 inherited base runners. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 56 times in high leverage situations and on 52 occasions with runners on base. They sit at 29th in the league holding a save rate of 45.5%, and they have dispatched 180 relievers onto the diamond for the year.

In 4,407 innings on the field, the Pirates have earned a defensive efficiency of 71.0% (8th in baseball). The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 40 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .985 (21st in professional baseball). The Pirates have racked up 453 assists, 29 errors and have accounted for 1,469 putouts for the season.

In his MLB career, Chandler has allowed 60 base hits and he has 78 punch outs in 78 innings pitched. Chandler (5-7 career mark) is the owner of a 4.49 ERA while surrendering 6.9 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed a total of 39 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.255 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.4. His K/BB ratio is 2.05 and he has gone up against 336 opposing hitters thus far in his career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Chicago (-182)

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