Chicago Cubs vs Texas Rangers Prediction, 5/9/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Texas Rangers

Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026

Location: Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX

TV: Rangers Sports Network

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-196) Texas (+162)

The Texas Rangers (17-20) will try to defeat the Chicago Cubs (26-12) at Globe Life Field on Saturday. The moneyline on this game has the Cubs at -196 and the Rangers are sitting at +162. The betting total comes in at 8. The starting pitchers are Edward Cabrera and Jack Leiter.

As a team, the Chicago Cubs are knocking in 5.5 runs per game, which has them at 3rd in MLB. They are sitting with 208 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .353. The Cubs have accounted for 59 doubles as a unit and have smacked 50 baseballs out of the park. They have recorded 191 runs batted in and 335 base knocks for the year, and their average at the plate comes in at .258. Chicago is slugging .429 and have been rung up 302 times, while being walked on 179 occasions.

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They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.70 and their pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.20. Cubs pitchers have given up 47 home runs in addition to 158 total runs (10th in MLB). Chicago has yielded 291 base hits (7.7 per 9 innings) and also 145 earned runs. The Cubs have a team earned run average of 3.83 on the campaign (8th in the league), and the staff has struck out 319 hitters. They have walked 118 opposing players and their FIP sits at 4.19 as a unit over the course of the season.

Cubs pitchers have come into the game with runners on 39 times in addition to having 39 appearances in high leverage situations. The bullpen have 9 holds on the season (30th in the league). The Cubs bullpen have earned a save percentage of 60.0% and have come into the game in 26 save situations. They have compiled 9 saves for the year and have not converted 6 of 15 save chances. The relievers have inherited 55 base runners this year and 30.9% of them crossing the plate. The Cubs have sent 114 relievers to the mound so far this year.

The Chicago Cubs have a tally of 1,023 putouts thus far, in addition to 343 assists and 20 errors. Their fielding rate sits at .986 which ranks 19th in MLB, and have a total of 24 double plays. The Cubs have converted 72.1% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 3,069 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting 4th in MLB.

Cabrera has taken the hill for 472 innings and is sitting with 515 K's so far in his MLB career. Cabrera (28-29 career win-loss record) is the owner of a FIP of 3.94 while going up against 2,015 opposing batters in the major leagues. His ERA is 4.00 (210 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.308. He has surrendered 388 base hits (7.4 hits per 9 innings) and has had 230 free passes.

The Rangers hold a team slugging percentage of .372 and they average 3.76 runs per game (28th in the league). They have recorded 56 doubles, while getting a free base 137 times and scoring 139 runs. Texas is sitting with 34 home runs for the season as well as 132 RBIs. They have struck out on 332 instances (8th in baseball) and have accounted for 289 hits. The Texas Rangers have recorded a team on-base percentage of .317 in addition to a team batting average of .236 this season.

The Rangers are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.245 and have a FIP of 4.09 as a staff so far this season. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 8.90 (319 strikeouts vs 114 bases on balls). They come in at 8th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 287. They have surrendered 43 dingers and they allow 4.05 runs per 9 innings (7th in baseball). The Texas pitching staff have allowed 145 runs so far this year while having an ERA of 3.85 (138 earned runs conceded).

Sitting with 36 save situations, the Rangers have recorded 22 holds in addition to 4 blown saves. Texas has had bullpen pitchers take the mound in 13 save opportunities and they have recorded 9 saves. Texas bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 32.7% out of 52 inherited base runners. Their relievers have come in 38 times in high leverage situations and also on 34 occasions with runners on. They are ranked 8th in baseball holding a save percentage of 69.2%, and they have dispatched 122 relievers onto the diamond on the year.

In their 2,904 innings played, the Rangers hold a defensive efficiency of 70.8% (8th in the majors). The Texas Rangers have turned 23 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .988 (9th in MLB). The Rangers have accrued 278 assists, 15 errors and have accounted for 968 putouts so far this year.

In his career, Leiter has allowed 210 hits while tallying 222 K's in 225 innings pitched. He has surrendered a total of 123 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.364 and having a FIP of 4.8. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.29 and he has gone up against 983 batters in his MLB career. Leiter (11-16 career win-loss record) is the owner of a 4.92 earned run average and has surrendered 8.4 hits per 9 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Texas (+162)

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