Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Picks and Prediction for Saturday July 25 2026

The Chicago Cubs visit the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday at 6:40 PM ET at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Chicago is 57-45 and sits second in the NL Central, seven games behind the Brewers. The Cubs have won three of their last five games despite a 5-1 loss to Detroit in their latest outing. Pittsburgh is 53-50 and sits tied for third in the NL Central, 11.5 games behind Milwaukee. The Pirates have split their last five games after a 2-0 loss to the Yankees. Pittsburgh leads the season series 4-3. Build a bigger bankroll with our free MLB picks.

Chicago Cubs Looking to Bounce Back

The Cubs are batting .245 while scoring 520 runs with 853 hits, 128 home runs, a .338 on-base percentage, and a .413 slugging percentage. Pete Crow-Armstrong has led the offense with a .282 average, 21 home runs, and 55 RBIs. Dansby Swanson has driven in a team-high 58 runs, while Seiya Suzuki has added 17 home runs. Chicago has produced runs consistently this season and has scored at least six runs in three of its last five games.

Chicago has a 4.27 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP while holding opponents to a .246 batting average. Shota Imanaga gets the start with a 6-8 record, a 3.91 ERA, and a 1.11 WHIP across 115 innings. He has allowed 100 hits, struck out 109 batters, and walked only 28. Chicago will need another strong outing against one of the league's highest-scoring offenses.

Injuries: Trent Thornton (Day-to-Day), Ethan Roberts (15-Day IL), Matt Shaw (10-Day IL), Hoby Milner (15-Day IL), Riley Martin (15-Day IL).

Pittsburgh Pirates Looking to Extend Their Series Lead

The Pirates lead the majors with a .261 batting average while scoring 543 runs with 933 hits, 132 home runs, a .339 on-base percentage, and a .424 slugging percentage. Brandon Lowe leads the club with 21 home runs and 65 RBIs, while Nick Gonzales is batting .313 with a team-high 114 hits. Bryan Reynolds owns a .391 on-base percentage, and Ryan O'Hearn has added 16 home runs and 64 RBIs. Pittsburgh has several hitters capable of producing throughout the lineup.

The Pirates have posted a 4.26 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP while limiting opponents to a .239 batting average. Paul Skenes has been one of the club's top starters, going 9-8 with a 3.43 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP over 115.1 innings. He has allowed only 94 hits while striking out 138 batters. Pittsburgh has a clear advantage whenever Skenes takes the mound.

Injuries: Jake Mangum (Day-to-Day), Spencer Horwitz (10-Day IL), Endy Rodriguez (10-Day IL), Evan Sisk (15-Day IL), Chris Devenski (60-Day IL).

Pitching Matchup

Chicago Cubs – Shota Imanaga

Imanaga is 6-8 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP over 115 innings. He has recorded 109 strikeouts while allowing just 100 hits. His command has helped keep Chicago competitive throughout the season.

Pittsburgh Pirates – Paul Skenes

Skenes is 9-8 with a 3.43 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP across 115.1 innings. He has struck out 138 batters while allowing only 94 hits. His ability to limit baserunners makes him one of the toughest pitchers in the National League.

Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Game Pick

• Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh has the stronger offense, owns the season series lead, and sends Paul Skenes to the mound. While Imanaga has pitched well, Skenes, with a 3.43 ERA and 1.04 WHIP, has been more dominant and is backed by a lineup leading the majors in batting average. The Pirates have the edge at home and are the better choice to win this matchup.

Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Over/Under Pick

• Under

Both starting pitchers have WHIPs close to 1.00 and have consistently limited baserunners this season. Skenes has just a 3.43 ERA, while Imanaga’s is slightly higher but below 4.00 at 3.91. The teams both can hit, but runs will come at a premium with two very strong hurlers on the mound. With Imanaga and Skenes capable of working deep into the game, this matchup sets up as a pitching duel, making the under the play.