Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, 7/26/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Sunday, July 26, 2026

Location: PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-144) Pittsburgh (+120)

The Pittsburgh Pirates (53-51) will try to defeat the Chicago Cubs (58-45) at PNC Park on Sunday. The moneyline on this game has Chicago at -144 while Pittsburgh is sitting at +120. The total comes in at 8.5. The pitchers who are expected to start are Jameson Taillon and Braxton Ashcraft.

The Cubs have tallied 164 doubles as a unit and have hit 129 baseballs out of the park. Chicago has a slugging rate of .411 and have been rung up 879 times, while drawing a walk on 451 occasions. As a unit, the Chicago Cubs are putting up 5.1 runs per game, which is 4th in the league. They have accounted for 489 RBI's in addition to 859 hits on the year, and their average at the plate sits at .244. They have accounted for 523 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .337.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.56 and their pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.27. Cubs pitchers have conceded 157 home runs in addition to 457 total runs (12th in MLB). Chicago has relinquished 853 base hits (8.4 per 9 innings) and also 432 earned runs. The Cubs have compiled a team ERA of 4.23 for the year (16th in the league), and their staff has struck out 804 hitters. They have walked 314 batters and their FIP is 4.73 as a squad so far this season.

Cubs pitchers have stepped onto the hill with players on base 105 times as well as having 102 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers are sitting with 36 holds for the year (30th in the league). The Cubs relievers have earned a save rate of 55.3% and have entered the game in 80 save situations. They have recorded 21 saves this season and have blown 17 out of their 38 chances to get a save. The relief pitchers have inherited 152 runners on the year and 31.6% of them earned a run for their team. The Cubs have dispatched 339 relievers to the hill on the season.

The Cubs have converted 71.7% of balls in play into outs out of their 8,265 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 3rd in pro baseball. The Chicago Cubs have accounted for 2,755 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 955 assists and 40 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .989 which ranks 3rd in pro baseball, and they have turned 78 double plays.

Taillon has taken the mound for 1,309 innings and is sitting with 1,138 strikeouts in his career. Taillon (84-65 career mark) holds a FIP of 3.89 while he has faced 5,435 opposing batters in the majors. His earned run average is 3.95 (575 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.200. He has given up 1,252 base knocks (8.6 hits per nine innings) and has 319 walks.

Pittsburgh has accumulated 132 HRs for the season and 521 runs batted in. They have hit 164 doubles, while taking a walk 385 times and scoring 545 runs. The Pittsburgh Pirates have compiled a team OBP of .338 and a batting average of .260 so far this year. The Pirates have a SLG% of .422 and they have an average of 5.24 runs per outing (2nd in the league). They have been called out on strikes on 991 occasions (1st in baseball) and have notched a total of 941 base knocks.

The Pirates hold a team WHIP of 1.305 with a FIP of 3.95 as a pitching staff so far this season. They have a ranking of 15th in MLB as a staff in total hits relinquished with 839. The Pittsburgh pitching staff have conceded 495 runs so far this year while holding a team ERA of 4.23 (437 earned runs surrendered). Their K/BB ratio is 9.20 (954 strikeouts against 373 bases on balls). They have allowed 108 home runs and they surrender 4.80 runs per 9 innings (21st in the league).

Pittsburgh bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 31.0% out of their 129 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill 97 times in high leverage situations and on 92 occasions with base runners. With 87 save situations, the Pirates have accrued 47 holds and 19 blown saves. They are ranked 28th in baseball holding a save rate of 51.3%, and they have dispatched 331 relief pitchers to the hill for the year.

Out of their 8,361 innings on the diamond, the Pirates have earned a defensive efficiency of 69.1% (22nd in professional baseball). The Pittsburgh Pirates have turned 81 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .984 (22nd in baseball). The Pirates have racked up 816 assists, 60 errors and have accumulated 2,787 putouts on the season.

Ashcraft (13-8 mark in his career) has earned a 3.50 earned run average while allowing 8.3 hits per nine innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.87 and he has gone up against 773 opposing hitters in his MLB career. He has given up a total of 72 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.203 and having a FIP of 3.4. In his pro baseball career, Ashcraft has allowed 171 hits while tallying 201 punch outs in 185 frames.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Chicago (-144)

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