Cubs fans, it is game time. The Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs are scheduled to meet in an important National League Central series opener on August 15, 2025, at Wrigley Field. The Cubs, who own a solid 68-52 record, are trying to bounce back from recent poor form, whereas the Pirates, who have a 51-71 record, are in a deep rut, having lost six games in a row. The matchup pits the Cubs’ Colin Rea against the Pirates’ still-to-be-declared starter, with the Cubs being favored.<\/p>\n
The Cubs are -202 favorites on the moneyline, with an over\/under of 9 runs.<\/p>\n
Chicago’s offense has slowed in the second half, and Pittsburgh’s lineup is among the league’s worst.<\/p>\n
The Pirates will miss the services of top player Oneil Cruz who has a concussion.<\/p>\n
The Cubs, who have struggled on offense of late, look to take advantage of a return home to Wrigley Field against the reeling Pirates. The Pirates have been beset by trades and injuries, so this is an important series for the Cubs to get back on track. Pundits expect a tight contest, with some calling for the Cubs to win a close one, like 5-4, and others seeing the total exceeding 9 runs.<\/p>\n
Pitching Matchups and Player Performance Colin Rea (9-5, 4.09 ERA) will start for the Cubs. The Pirates haven’t announced their starter for the opener. The key offensive performers for the Cubs are Seiya Suzuki, who has a team-leading 27 home runs and 85 RBIs, and Pete Crow-Armstrong, who also has 27 home runs. For the Pirates, Bryan Reynolds paces the team in batting average (.247), RBIs (61), and hits (111), and Andrew McCutchen remains a veteran presence.<\/p>\n
The series opener on Friday, August 15, 2025, is scheduled for a 2:20 p.m. ET first pitch from Wrigley Field. The game will be broadcast on MLB Network, MARQ, and SportsNet PT. The remaining games will be broadcast on FS1 and Marquee, and Marquee respectively.<\/p>\n
The Cubs are moneyline favorites at -196 to -202, while the Pirates are +162 to +166. The Cubs are also favored on the spread at -1.5. Trends indicate that recent matchups between the two have trended under the total, and the Cubs have not been able to cover the spread in their last four matchups against the Pirates. But the Cubs have a good home record against division opponents.<\/p>\n