The Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs continue an important NL Central three-game set this afternoon at Wrigley Field.
Shota Imanaga is racking up the strikeouts lately, and my Pirates vs. Cubs predictions are expecting that trend to continue.
See more for my MLB picks for Saturday, August 16.
Pirates vs Cubs prediction
Pirates vs Cubs best bet: Shota Imanaga Over 5.5 strikeouts (-130)
The Chicago Cubs have been led by Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga this season on the hill. The Japanese left-hander is having a solid campaign. While he’s missed time due to injury, Imanaga still owns a 3.19 ERA and an 8-5 record in 17 starts.
Imanaga has just 79 strikeouts in 96 innings, but he’s missing a lot of bats over the last few outings. The 31-year-old has cashed the Over in punchouts in three consecutive appearances, striking out nine last time out against the St. Louis Cardinals.
In fact, during this span, he’s faced all NL Central opponents. Imanaga has seven Ks against the Cincinnati Reds and another eight versus the Milwaukee Brewers. Sure enough, he’s facing another divisional foe today.
Imanaga has 29 Ks in 35 innings in day games this season, and the Pittsburgh Pirates strike out the eighth-most of any team in the Majors. Imanaga will keep it rolling.
Pirates vs Cubs same-game parlay (SGP)
The Cubbies lost the series opener 3-2 on Friday, but prior to that, they’d won four out of five against the Bucs, with three of those victories coming at home. Chicago has an impressive 36-23 record at Wrigley Field compared to a 32-30 record on the road.
The Pirates also rarely win on the road, going 18-42. The Cubs will be poised to bounce back, and having Imanaga on the hill should instill some confidence in them. The lineup will give their southpaw some run support and hit around rookie Mike Burrows.
Speaking of Burrows, he has a 4.66 ERA across 14 starts this season and although he did allow just one earned run in his lone outing versus Chicago earlier in the year, Nico Hoerner is one player with success in this matchup. The 28-year-old is 2-for-2 lifetime and happens to be hot right now.
Hoerner has cashed Over 1.5 hits in three of his last five games. He had back-to-back multi-hit games in the last two meetings with the Toronto Blue Jays before also collecting a hit in the series opener against Pittsburgh. Hoerner is hitting .289 at home and .298 in day games.
Pirates vs Cubs odds
- Moneyline: Pittsburgh +180 | Chicago -220
- Run line: Pittsburgh +1.5 (-115) | Chicago -1.5 (-105)
- Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)
Pirates vs Cubs trend
The Chicago Cubs have only hit the Moneyline in 9 of their last 22 games (-9.55 Units / -29% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Pirates vs. Cubs.
How to watch Pirates vs Cubs and game info
| Location | Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL |
| Date | Saturday, August 16, 2025 |
| First pitch | 2:20 p.m. ET |
| TV | FS1 |
| Pirates starting pitcher | Mike Burrows (1-4, 4.66 ERA) |
| Cubs starting pitcher | Shota Imanaga (8-5, 3.19 ERA) |
Pirates vs Cubs latest injuries
Pirates vs Cubs weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
