Cincinnati Reds vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 8/28/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cincinnati Reds vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Friday, August 28, 2026

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

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

The Cincinnati Reds (63-71) are on their way to Wrigley Field on Friday where they will attempt to beat the Chicago Cubs (76-58). The odds on this game have the Reds at +120 while the Cubs are at -144. The total has been set at 9. The pitchers taking the mound will be Rhett Lowder and David Peterson.

Cincinnati has a slugging % of .392 and have struck out 1,272 times, while being walked on 479 occasions. They have tallied 524 RBI's and 1,010 hits over the course of the season, and their batting average comes in at .227. The Reds have compiled 190 two-baggers as a squad and have hit 173 baseballs out of the park. They have accounted for 548 runs while having a team OBP of .306. As a unit, the Cincinnati Reds are notching 4.1 runs per game, which has them at 24th in MLB.

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Their K/BB ratio is 1.96 and their pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.41. Reds pitchers have allowed 167 home runs and also 648 total runs (24th in the league). Cincinnati has surrendered 1,131 base hits (8.6 per 9 innings) as well as 601 earned runs. The Reds have an ERA of 4.55 this season (24th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 1,079 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 551 players from the other team and their FIP sits at 4.66 as a team on the year.

Reds relief pitchers have entered the game with players on base 143 times in addition to having 164 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have accumulated 73 holds for the year (13th in the league). The Reds relief pitchers have compiled a save rate of 61.8% and have come into the game in 131 save situations. They have earned 34 saves on the season and have blown 21 of 55 save opportunities. The relief pitchers have inherited 207 base runners on the campaign with 28.5% of them crossing home plate. The Reds have dispatched 468 relief pitchers to the mound over the course of the season.

The Reds have converted 70.0% of baseballs in play into outs out of 10,701 innings, which has them sitting at 13th in pro baseball. The Cincinnati Reds have earned a total of 3,567 putouts thus far, in addition to 1,079 assists and 73 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .985 which puts them in 19th in pro baseball, and they have turned 92 double plays.

Lowder (7-10 career mark) sits with a FIP of 4.20 while he has gone up against 606 batters during his time in the majors. He has conceded 139 base hits (9.1 hits per 9 innings) and has 57 walks. His ERA is 4.26 (65 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.429. Lowder has pitched in 137 innings and has tallied 105 strikeouts during his pro baseball career.

Chicago has a total of 177 HRs for the season and 656 runs batted in. They have hit 225 doubles, while getting a free base 568 times and recording 695 runs. The Chicago Cubs have an OBP of .338 as well as a team batting average of .249 on the season. The Cubs hold a slugging % of .422 and they are scoring 5.19 runs per contest (1st in baseball). They have struck out on 1,148 occasions (9th in the league) and have 1,144 hits.

The Chicago pitching staff have allowed 576 runs so far this season while holding an ERA of 4.09 (544 earned runs surrendered). They have conceded 198 long balls and they allow 4.33 runs per 9 innings (11th in baseball). The Cubs have a WHIP of 1.250 and have a FIP of 4.66 as a squad so far this season. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 7.70 (1,025 strikeouts against 400 walks). They have a ranking of 17th in baseball as a staff in total hits relinquished with 1,096.

Sitting with 106 save situations, the Cubs have earned 49 holds and also 22 blown saves. Chicago has had relief pitchers enter the game in 51 save opportunities and they have earned 29 saves. Chicago bullpen pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 30.4% out of their 181 inherited runners. Their relievers have stepped onto the hill 129 times in high leverage situations in addition to 132 occasions with base runners. They are currently ranked 24th in the league holding a save percentage of 56.9%, and they have sent 429 relievers to the mound this season.

The Chicago Cubs have gotten 103 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .990 (1st in the majors). The Cubs have 1,269 assists, 49 errors and have earned a total of 3,593 putouts for the season. Out of their 10,779 innings on the field, the Cubs have a defensive efficiency of 72.2% (2nd in professional baseball).

Thus far in his career, Peterson has given up 640 base knocks while he has totaled 654 K's in 672 frames. He has given up 307 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.370 and having a FIP of 4.0. His K/BB ratio is 2.33 and he has faced 2,884 opposing batters in his MLB career. Peterson (41-31 career mark) holds a 4.11 ERA while allowing 8.6 hits per nine innings.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Cincinnati (+120)

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