Cincinnati Reds @ Chicago Cubs - May 31, 2025

As the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs prepare to face off at Wrigley Field this Saturday, both teams are looking for a crucial victory that could shift momentum in their respective seasons. The Reds come into this game with a record of 29-29, while the Cubs sit comfortably at 35-22. However, recent history suggests that anything can happen in this matchup.

The Reds will turn to their left-handed pitcher who has shown promise throughout the season, boasting a record of 4-4 and an ERA of 3.8. His strikeout rate is impressive as well, sitting just above 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings. This indicates that he can be effective at getting batters out when needed, but consistency will be key against a formidable Cubs lineup.

On the other side of the mound is Drew Pomeranz for the Cubs, who has been nothing short of spectacular this season with a perfect win-loss record of 2-0 and an unblemished ERA of 0.0. While his sample size may be limited, it’s hard to ignore how dominant he has been so far—averaging nearly 8 strikeouts per game as well. If Pomeranz can maintain this level of performance against a Reds team that has struggled offensively at times (averaging just over 4.6 runs per game), we could see him stifle their efforts.

When we look deeper into batting statistics, there’s also a noticeable disparity between these two clubs. The Cubs are averaging approximately 6 runs per game on nearly 9 hits and have an on-base slugging percentage hovering around 76%. In contrast, the Reds are only managing about 4.6 runs on around 8 hits with a lower slugging percentage near 69%. These numbers suggest that Chicago’s offense is more potent right now and may capitalize on any mistakes made by Lodolo.

Interestingly enough, despite recent performances where Cincinnati bested Chicago with a scoreline of 6-2 in their last encounter—where bettors who backed them were rewarded—it’s important to consider how unpredictable baseball can be from one day to another.

With oddsmakers opening up the Cubs as -164 moneyline favorites and setting an over/under total at just under eight runs (7.5), I predict we’ll see Chicago come out victorious in this contest based on current form and pitching matchups alone.

Given both pitchers’ ability to limit scoring opportunities combined with Chicago’s offensive firepower facing off against Cincinnati’s struggles at times, my expectation leans towards an UNDER outcome for total runs scored tonight as well.

In conclusion: expect the Cubs to emerge victorious while keeping it low-scoring—a classic Wrigley Field affair where every run counts!