Chicago Cubs @ Los Angeles Angels - August 23, 2025

The Chicago Cubs will beat the Los Angeles Angels. The Los Angeles Angels will cover the spread, and the total will go over.

I project the superior run prevention and deeper contact profile to tilt this toward Chicago. The Cubs average 5.0 runs and 8.6 hits, while the Angels sit at 4.4 runs and 7.7 hits. Batting averages are similar at 0.2, but Chicago converts contact into production more efficiently and sustains longer innings. The run prevention gap is bigger. The Cubs post a 3.9 ERA versus 4.8 for the Angels, a clean one-run edge per nine that shows up over multiple innings and dampens rallies. That balance of a stronger offense and a sturdier staff makes the straight-up result lean Chicago with confidence.

I expect a tight margin that favors the Angels against the number. The per-game scoring gap is 0.6 runs, which typically produces one-run finals more often than blowouts. The Angels score 4.4 runs, enough to keep pace for most of the night, and their contact rate at 7.7 hits creates traffic that prevents Chicago from pulling away. With combined scoring profiles summing to 9.4 runs, I rate the total as likely to clear a typical market number. The Angels’ 4.8 ERA invites crooked innings, while their offense is steady enough to answer. Net result, Chicago secures the win, the Angels keep it within a narrow band, and the cumulative scoring pushes the game over.