Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, 4/12/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs

Date: Sunday, April 12, 2026

Location: Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL

TV: Marquee

Odds/Point Spread: Pittsburgh (-122) Chicago (+102)

Wrigley Field is where the Chicago Cubs (6-7) will take on the Pittsburgh Pirates (8-5) on Sunday. The moneyline on this matchup has Pittsburgh at -122 while Chicago is at +102. The total is 8. The starting pitchers are Bubba Chandler and Jameson Taillon.

As a unit, the Pittsburgh Pirates are compiling 4.3 runs per contest, which puts them at 13th in baseball. They have accumulated 56 runs and hold an OBP of .325. The Pirates have tallied 19 two-baggers as a squad and have knocked 13 baseballs out of the park. They have recorded 55 runs batted in and 102 hits so far this season, and their average at the plate comes in at .235. Pittsburgh owns a slugging percentage of .369 and have struck out 112 times, while drawing a walk on 54 occasions.

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They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.14 and their pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.31. Pirates pitchers have given up 9 home runs and 48 total runs (6th in the league). Pittsburgh has surrendered 94 hits (7.2 per 9 innings) and also 40 earned runs. The Pirates hold a team ERA of 3.08 for the season (4th in baseball), and their staff has struck out 126 batters. They have walked 59 players from the other team and their FIP sits at 3.61 as a squad over the course of the season.

Pirates relief pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on base 12 times as well as having 20 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 11 holds on the campaign (7th in the league). The Pirates bullpen have compiled a save rate of 75.0% and have entered the game in 15 save situations. They have earned 3 saves this season and have missed out on 1 of 4 save opportunities. The relievers have inherited 17 runners this year with 11.8% of them ended up crossing the plate. The Pirates have sent 47 relief pitchers to the mound on the year.

The Pirates have converted 70.3% of balls hit into play into outs in their 1,053 innings, which has them sitting 13th in professional baseball. The Pittsburgh Pirates have amassed 351 putouts thus far, in addition to 96 assists and 6 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .987 which ranks 13th in professional baseball, and they have turned 11 double plays.

Chandler has taken the ball for 39 innings and has accounted for 41 punch outs thus far in his career. His ERA is 3.89 (17 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.120. He has surrendered 30 hits (6.9 hits per nine innings) and has 14 free passes. Chandler (4-2 record in his career) is the owner of a FIP of 3.83 while he has gone up against 164 batters in the major leagues.

The Chicago Cubs are sitting with a team on-base percentage of .314 and a batting average of .220 so far this season. They have been called out on strikes on 108 occasions (22nd in MLB) and have totaled 93 base knocks. Chicago has compiled 13 long balls for the year as well as 51 RBIs. The Cubs hold a slugging percentage of .355 and they are scoring 4.31 runs per outing (12th in baseball). They have tallied 18 doubles, while taking a walk 58 times as well as putting up 56 runs.

The Cubs have a team WHIP of 1.070 and have a FIP of 4.15 as a pitching staff so far this season. They rank 1st in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 82. The Chicago pitching staff have allowed 46 runs over the course of the season while having an ERA of 3.32 (42 earned runs relinquished). They have earned a K/BB ratio of 8.10 (103 strikeouts vs 40 free passes). They have conceded 14 homers and they allow 3.63 runs per 9 innings (4th in the league).

They are ranked 27th in baseball with a save rate of 40.0%, and they have sent 39 relievers to the mound for the year. Their relievers have taken the field 11 times in high leverage situations and also on 14 occasions with runners on. Sitting with 6 save situations, the Cubs have 1 hold and also 3 blown saves. Chicago has had relief pitchers enter the contest in 5 save chances and they have tallied 2 saves. Chicago relievers have an inherited score percentage of 30.4% out of 23 inherited runners.

The Chicago Cubs have gotten 10 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .991 (6th in baseball). The Cubs have racked up 118 assists, 4 errors and have accounted for 342 putouts so far this year. In 1,026 innings played, the Cubs have accumulated a efficiency on defense of 75.9% (1st in professional baseball).

Taillon (82-61 career record) has a 3.86 ERA while giving up 8.6 hits per nine innings. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.62 and he has gone up against 5,173 opposing batters so far in his career. He has allowed a total of 535 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.194 and a FIP of 3.8. During his pro baseball career, Taillon has conceded 1,191 base hits and he has 1,080 K's in 1,247 innings pitched.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Pittsburgh (-122)

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