The weekend begins with afternoon baseball at Wrigley Field, and the Chicago Cubs are looking to snap a mini skid against the visiting Houston Astros in their series open Friday, May 22.
My top Astros vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks expect the North Siders to fly the winning flag at The Friendly Confines in Game 1.
Who will win Astros vs Cubs today: Cubs moneyline (-140)
Opposing hitters sport a well-below-average .300 wOBA to pave the way to Chicago Cubs vet Jameson Taillon spinning a tidy 3.28 ERA across an equally tidy 250 innings at Wrigley Field since signing with the franchise in 2023.
I give the North Siders a sizable edge on both sides of the dish following a day off with Houston Astros righty Spencer Arrighetti headed to the bump.
Arrighetti sports a career 5.15 ERA on the highway and faces a lineup sporting the third-lowest BABIP over the past three weeks, after all.
COVERS INTEL: The Chicago Cubs have scored just 2.8 runs per game during their active 2-9 skid after averaging 5.5 per to start the year.
Astros vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (+110)
Let’s take advantage of a low total at Wrigley. The wind is forecasted to be blowing in, but not truly gusting, and the Cubs and Astros rank ninth and 10th in wOBA against right-handed pitchers.
Arrighetti’s struggles have been highlighted, and Taillon just allowed five homers and a 41.9% squared-up contact rate in his most recent start.
While a few more fly balls might not leave the yard, these offenses can patch together enough runs to push this total Over the number Friday afternoon.
- ML/RL bets: 21-12, +11.68 units
- Over/Under bets: 12-9, +2.37 units
Astros vs Cubs odds
- Moneyline: Houston +120 | Chicago -140
- Run line: Houston +1.5 (-185) | Chicago -1.5 (+155)
- Over/Under: Over 7 (-115) | Under 7 (-105)
Astros vs Cubs trend
The Chicago Cubs have won in 15 of their last 18 games at home (+11.30 Units / 43% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Cubs.
How to watch Astros vs Cubs and game info
| Location | Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL |
| Date | Friday, May 22, 2026 |
| First pitch | 2:20 p.m. ET |
| TV | Apple TV |
| Astros starting pitcher | Spencer Arrighetti (5-1, 1.50 ERA) |
| Cubs starting pitcher | Jameson Taillon (2-3, 4.97 ERA) |
Astros vs Cubs latest injuries
Astros vs Cubs weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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