Cincinnati Reds vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 5/5/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cincinnati Reds vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

Odds/Point Spread: Cincinnati (+132) Chicago (-160)

The Cincinnati Reds (20-14) are traveling to Wrigley Field on Tuesday where they will compete against the Chicago Cubs (22-12). The moneyline on this matchup has Cincinnati at +132 and Chicago is coming in at -160. The total has been set at 8.5. The pitchers taking the mound are Andrew Abbott and Jameson Taillon.

The Reds have hit 50 two-baggers as a unit and have knocked 44 balls out of the park. Cincinnati has a slugging rate of .383 and have been called out on strikes 315 times, while being walked on 133 occasions. As a squad, the Cincinnati Reds are scoring 4.2 runs per game, which is 23rd in the league. They have 130 RBI's and 244 hits on the year, and their average at the plate is .217. They have notched a total of 141 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .304.

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The Reds are sitting with a team ERA of 4.50 so far this year (21st in baseball), and the staff has rung up 268 batters. Reds pitchers have conceded 36 home runs and 163 runs in total (21st in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 160 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 4.65 as a unit on the season. Cincinnati has surrendered 297 hits (8.8 per 9 innings) and 152 earned runs. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 1.68 and the pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.50.

The Reds relief pitchers have a save percentage of 66.7% and have come into the game in 41 save situations. They have earned 10 saves on the year and have missed out on 5 out of their 15 chances to get a save. The relievers have inherited 53 base runners on the campaign with 24.5% of them crossing the plate. Reds bullpen pitchers have entered the game with runners on 36 times in addition to having 42 appearances in high leverage situations. The Reds have dispatched 127 relief pitchers to the mound so far this year. The relievers have racked up 25 holds for the season (3rd in MLB).

The Cincinnati Reds have accounted for 912 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 293 assists and 14 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .989 which puts them in 6th in baseball, and have 35 double plays. The Reds have converted 69.0% of baseballs in play into outs in their 2,736 innings on the field, which has them ranked 24th in pro baseball.

Abbott (29-25 career mark) has earned a FIP of 3.57 and he has gone up against 1,887 hitters in the major leagues. He has conceded 418 hits (8.4 hits per nine innings) and has had 154 walks. His earned run average is 3.62 (180 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.278. Abbott has pitched in 447 innings and has earned 407 strikeouts during his pro baseball career.

The Cubs have a team SLG% of .430 and they are earning 5.44 runs per contest (2nd in the league). They have put up 55 two-baggers, while taking a walk 155 times and notching 185 runs. Chicago is sitting with 44 HRs for the season as well as 169 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 277 occasions (18th in MLB) and have 304 base hits. The Chicago Cubs have a team on-base percentage of .353 and a team batting average of .261 this season.

The Cubs hold a team WHIP of 1.175 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.09 as a pitching staff for the season. They currently have a K/BB ratio of 8.30 (278 strikeouts vs 100 free passes). They rank 7th in the league as a staff in total hits conceded with 256. They have surrendered 39 long balls and they concede 4.25 runs per 9 innings (11th in baseball). The Chicago pitching staff have allowed 143 runs so far this year while having an ERA of 3.89 (131 earned runs conceded).

With 21 save situations, the Cubs have earned 7 holds and 5 blown saves. Chicago has had bullpen pitchers step onto the hill in 13 save chances and they have earned 8 saves. Chicago relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 33.3% of 45 inherited runners. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 32 times in high leverage situations and on 33 occasions with runners on base. They rank 16th in the league with a save rate of 61.5%, and they have sent 98 bullpen pitchers onto the diamond on the campaign.

The Chicago Cubs have turned 22 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .986 (15th in baseball). The Cubs have accrued 305 assists, 17 errors and have notched a total of 909 putouts on the season. In 2,727 innings played, the Cubs have earned a efficiency on defense of 72.3% (4th in baseball).

In his career, Taillon has given up 1,209 hits while he has accumulated 1,104 strikeouts in 1,271 innings pitched. He has conceded a total of 549 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.193 and a FIP of 3.8. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.60 and he has faced 5,269 opposing hitters so far in his career. Taillon (84-61 career mark) is the owner of a 3.89 ERA while conceding 8.6 hits per 9 innings.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Cincinnati (+132)

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