Chicago Cubs (41-27) vs Pittsburgh Pirates (28-41)
Game Info: Thursday, June 12, 2025 at 8:05 pm (Wrigley Field)
The Line: Betting Odds: Chicago Cubs -206 / Pittsburgh Pirates +167 — Over/Under: 7.5
In this article, we will formulate a Pirates vs Cubs prediction for this MLB game on Thursday, June 12, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Let’s take a look at the prediction for this MLB matchup.
Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview
The Pittsburgh Pirates (28-41, 9-22 Away) won back-to-back series for the first time this season. They recorded their first sweep after defeating the Phillies, and then beat the Marlins. In Wednesday’s rubber match 5-2 victory against Miami, Andrew McCutchen led the offense with three RBI, while Bailey Falter got the win after allowing one run on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk across 5.1 innings of work.
This season, the Pirates average 3.26 runs per game (29th in the MLB) on a .229/.307/.343 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Pirates’ staff has a 3.79 ERA (14th) and 1.20 WHIP (8th). Bryan Reynolds leads the Pirates with a .233 batting average, eight home runs, and 39 RBI this season.
Andrew Heaney will take the mound for the Pirates on Thursday. The 34-year-old left-hander has a 3-4 record in 13 starts this year with a 3.24 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 72.1 innings.
Chicago Cubs Betting Preview
The Chicago Cubs (41-27, 20-11 Home) returned home from a three-series road trip, during which they beat the Nationals and lost to the Tigers and Phillies. In last night’s rubber match 7-2 defeat to Philadelphia, Ben Brown took the loss after allowing six runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and three walks in 5.2 innings.
This year, the Cubs average 5.53 runs per game (1st in the MLB) on a .258/.329/.443 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Cubs’ staff has a 3.70 ERA (10th) and 1.25 WHIP (15th). Seiya Suzuki leads the Cubs with a .266 batting average, 16 home runs, and 56 RBI this season.
The projected starting pitcher for the Cubs is Jameson Taillon, who is 6-3 in 13 starts this season, with a 3.54 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 76.1 innings.
Why the Cubs will beat the Pirates
- The Cubs have won each of their last eight games against the Pirates following a road loss.
- The Pirates have lost each of their last six road games against NL Central opponents.
- The Cubs have covered the run line in each of their last 10 games following a loss.
- The Pirates have failed to cover the run line in eight of their last nine night games against NL Central opponents following a home win.
- The Pirates have trailed after 5 innings in four of their last five games against NL Central opponents that held a winning record.
Total Runs Facts
- Five of the Cubs’ last six home games against NL Central opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- Four of the Pirates’ last five games have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Pirates’ last four games.
- The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Cubs’ last four night games against NL Central opponents.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Cubs rank T2nd in the league for doubles this season (126).
- The Cubs rank 2nd in the league for triples this season (15).
- The Pirates rank 29th in the league for RBIs this season (215).
- The Pirates rank 29th in the league for slugging percentage this season (.343).
Pirates vs Cubs Prediction
The Cubs won six of the previous ten H2H encounters, and this season, they lead 2-1. Andrew Heaney already faced the Cubs this year and allowed four runs in a 9-0 loss, while Chicago has a .252 BA in 624 at-bats against the southpaws this season. Jameson Taillon, on the other hand, is hot recently, as he allowed only five runs in his previous four starts and registered five consecutive quality starts. Taillon shouldn’t have problems against one of the weakest offenses in the MLB, so I am backing him to add another QS here. Back the Cubs to win and cover the run line.