Houston Astros vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 5/23/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Houston Astros vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Saturday, May 23, 2026

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

Odds/Point Spread: Houston (+106) Chicago (-128)

The Houston Astros (20-31) are on their way to Wrigley Field on Saturday where they will attempt to defeat the Chicago Cubs (29-21). The moneyline on this game has the Astros at +106 and the Cubs are opening at -128. The betting total comes in at 8. The starting pitchers are Kai-Wei Teng and Colin Rea.

The Astros have accrued 84 doubles as a team and have hit 60 baseballs out of the stadium. Houston has a slugging percentage of .404 and have struck out 411 times, while drawing a walk on 171 occasions. As a team, the Houston Astros are recording 4.3 runs per contest, which ranks them 18th in baseball. They have earned 208 RBI's and 422 base knocks for the year, while their team batting average is at .246. They are sitting with 218 runs and hold an on-base percentage of .321.

Get all of our MLB Betting Picks

The Astros have a team earned run average of 5.34 so far this year (30th in the league), and their staff has struck out 431 hitters. Astros pitchers have conceded 67 home runs in addition to 274 runs in total (29th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 249 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 5.00 as a team so far this season. Houston has yielded 434 base hits (8.8 per 9 innings) and also 265 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 1.73 and the pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.53.

Astros relief pitchers have come into the game with players on base 54 times in addition to having 38 appearances in high leverage situations. The bullpen have earned 18 holds for the year (26th in the league). The Astros bullpen have earned a save percentage of 84.6% and have entered the game in 31 save situations. They have tallied 11 saves so far this season and have not converted 2 out of their 13 save chances. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 89 runners on the campaign and 27.0% of them crossing home plate. The Astros have dispatched 154 relief pitchers to the hill so far this year.

The Astros have converted 69.1% of balls hit into play into outs out of 4,017 innings, which has them sitting 24th in professional baseball. The Houston Astros have accumulated 1,339 putouts so far this season, in addition to 390 assists and 17 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .990 which has them ranked 3rd in professional baseball, and they have turned 46 double plays.

Teng has taken the mound for 71 frames and has tallied 76 K's so far in his pro baseball career. His earned run average is 5.31 (42 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.447. He has surrendered 66 hits (8.3 hits per 9 innings) and has had 37 walks. Teng (4-7 win-loss mark in his career) sits with a FIP of 5.23 while going up against 319 opposing hitters in the major leagues.

The Chicago Cubs have earned a team on-base percentage of .338 and a batting average of .242 this season. They have been called out on strikes on 417 instances (15th in the league) and have recorded 410 base hits. Chicago is sitting with 58 HRs so far this year as well as 227 runs batted in. The Cubs have a team slugging % of .397 and they are scoring 4.92 runs per contest (6th in the league). They have 76 two-baggers, while walking 228 times as well as scoring 246 runs.

The Cubs have a team WHIP of 1.227 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.37 as a pitching staff so far this season. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 8.10 (402 strikeouts against 152 walks). They are sitting at 12th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 393. They have conceded 67 HR's and they allow 4.42 runs per 9 innings (14th in MLB). The Chicago pitching staff have surrendered 218 runs so far this season and come in with a team ERA of 4.07 (201 earned runs conceded).

They rank 21st in MLB holding a save percentage of 58.8%, and they have sent 151 relief pitchers onto the field on the campaign. Their relief pitchers have come in 50 times in high leverage situations and also on 49 occasions with runners on. Sitting with 31 save situations, the Cubs have compiled 11 holds in addition to 7 blown saves. Chicago has called on relievers to enter the contest in 17 save opportunities and they have come away with 10 saves. Chicago relief pitchers have an inherited score rate of 27.5% out of their 69 inherited runners.

The Chicago Cubs have turned 35 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .986 (18th in the majors). The Cubs have accrued 472 assists, 25 errors and have 1,333 putouts so far this season. Out of their 3,999 innings on the field, the Cubs have a efficiency on defense of 71.9% (5th in baseball).

Rea (41-29 record in his career) is the owner of a 4.45 earned run average and has allowed 8.8 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.72 and he has gone up against 2,773 opposing hitters so far in his career. He has given up a total of 323 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.280 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.4. So far in his MLB career, Rea has allowed 640 base knocks while tallying 533 punch outs in 653 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Chicago (-128)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here

Get MLB picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bets by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.