Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 8/5/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

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

The Chicago Cubs (64-49) will try to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers (69-44) at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. The moneyline on this contest has Los Angeles at -196 and Chicago opens at +162. The over/under is set at 8.5. The starting pitchers will be Eric Lauer and Shota Imanaga.

As a team, the Los Angeles Dodgers are putting up 5.1 runs per game, which has them at 3rd in baseball. They have earned 577 runs scored and have an OBP of .340. The Dodgers have tallied 189 two-baggers as a team and have smacked 145 balls out of the park. They have amassed 542 runs batted in in addition to 999 hits for the season, while their team batting average is .262. Los Angeles has a slugging percentage of .432 and have been called out on strikes 888 times, while being walked on 431 occasions.

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They have accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.91 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.15. Dodgers pitchers have yielded 134 home runs and 432 total runs (3rd in baseball). Los Angeles has given up 802 base knocks (7.2 per 9 innings) and 410 earned runs. The Dodgers have a team earned run average of 3.70 on the year (6th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 1,011 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 347 players from the other team and their FIP sits at 4.00 as a team this season.

The Dodgers have sent 357 relief pitchers to the hill for the season. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 123 runners this year with 38.2% of those players ended up scoring. The relief pitchers have notched 70 holds so far this season (7th in the league). Dodgers relief pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on base 74 times and also have had 103 appearances in high leverage situations. They have accumulated 30 saves on the season and have blown 12 of 42 save opportunities. The Dodgers bullpen have recorded a save percentage of 71.4% and have stepped onto the mound in 113 save situations.

The Dodgers have turned 73.0% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 8,985 innings on the diamond, which has them ranked 1st in pro baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers have 2,995 putouts on the year, as well as 931 assists and 43 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .989 which has them ranked 3rd in pro baseball, and have a total of 65 double plays.

Lauer has taken the ball for 752 innings and has accounted for 699 punch outs so far in his pro baseball career. His ERA is 4.06 (339 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.305. He has given up 713 hits (8.5 hits per 9 innings) and has 269 free passes. Lauer (50-39 win-loss mark in his career) has a FIP of 3.99 and he has gone up against 3,207 hitters in the majors.

The Cubs hold a slugging % of .414 and they score 5.13 runs per game (2nd in MLB). They have 187 two-baggers, while getting a free base 491 times and putting up 580 runs. Chicago has knocked in 139 home runs so far this season as well as 544 RBIs. They have been called out on strikes on 973 occasions (9th in the league) and have earned 959 hits. The Chicago Cubs have a team on-base percentage of .339 in addition to a batting average of .248 over the course of the season.

The Cubs have a WHIP of 1.254 and have a FIP of 4.65 as a team for the year. They sit at 17th in MLB as a staff in total hits allowed with 927. The Chicago pitching staff have surrendered 486 runs so far this year and come in with a team ERA of 4.09 (458 earned runs yielded). Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 7.80 (876 strikeouts against 337 bases on balls). They have surrendered 168 long balls and they surrender 4.34 runs per 9 innings (11th in baseball).

Chicago relievers have an inherited score percentage of 30.8% out of their 159 inherited runners. Their relief pitchers have come in 112 times in high leverage situations in addition to 112 occasions with runners on. With 88 save situations, the Cubs have 39 holds and 19 blown saves. They sit at 25th in baseball with a save rate of 55.8%, and they have sent 366 relief pitchers to the mound this season.

In their 9,078 innings played, the Cubs hold a efficiency on defense of 71.9% (3rd in professional baseball). The Chicago Cubs have turned 86 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .989 (2nd in MLB). The Cubs have 1,043 assists, 44 errors and have notched a total of 3,026 putouts so far this year.

Imanaga (31-20 win-loss record in his career) has a 3.40 earned run average while giving up 7.6 hits per nine innings. His K/BB ratio is 4.94 and he has gone up against 1,771 batters in his career. He has surrendered a total of 168 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.027 and having a FIP of 3.3. So far in his pro baseball career, Imanaga has allowed 374 hits while he has earned 410 strikeouts in 445 innings.

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

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

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