Thursday’s interleague matchup between the Astros and Cubs is set for 2:20 from Wrigley Field in Chicago. The Cubs are 15-9 this season, while the Astros have an overall record of 7-18. Houston is sending Justin Verlander to the mound up against Javier Assad for the Cubs.

Looking at the odds, the over/under line is at 7.5 runs, and the Astros are the favorite on the money line at -126. Chicago comes in with a money line payout of +105.

CHICAGO CUBS VS HOUSTON ASTROS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Chicago Cubs Moneyline +105

This game will be played at Wrigley Field at 2:20 ET on Thursday, April 25th.

HOW TO BET THE ASTROS VS CUBS:

  • We have the Cubs winning by a score of 6 to 5
  • If you’re looking for a run line pick, we also like the Cubs to cover
  • As for an over/under pick, we have this game finishing with 11 runs and like the over

Chicago picked up a 4-3 win over the Astros in the most recent game of this series. The Cubs had a huge 1st inning, scoring all four of their runs, and the Astros could only muster one run in the 9th inning. Heading into the game, the Cubs were the slight favorites at -107.

Jameson Taillon got the win for the Cubs, going just 5 2/3 innings and giving up one run. He finished the game with just four strikeouts and allowed two walks. As for the Astros, Spencer Arrighetti only went 3 2/3 innings and gave up four runs on seven hits.

Dansby Swanson hit the game’s only home run while going 1/4 with three RBIs. Nico Hoerner also had a two-hit game and scored a run for Chicago’s offense.

Astros Records & Stats

Houston is on the road today, looking for a win, as they have lost four straight games. Overall, the Astros are 7-18, putting them in 5th place in the AL West. The Astros are six games behind the Rangers for the lead in the division.

So far, the Astros have gone 4-3 against other teams in the AL West. As the favorite, Houston is 5-15 this year and 2-3 as the underdog. They have also really struggled on the road, going 3-9 compared to 4-9 at home.

The Astros have been a poor bet on the run line this season, going 8-17 overall. They are 3-9 on the run line on the road and have failed to cover in their last four road games. They are just 5-15 on the run line as the favorite this season.

Despite the high combined run average of 9.4 runs per game, the Astros have seen their last four games go under the total. Their over/under record for the season is 8-15, but they have only played one game with a total set at 7.5 runs. Their games have had an average total of 9 runs per game.

Justin Verlander and the Astros are on the road to take on the Cubs today. Verlander picked up the win in his first start of the season, going 6 innings and allowing 2 earned runs on 4 hits. He struck out 4 batters and gave up 1 home run.

Jose Altuve and Kyle Tucker have been the Astros’ top power threats this season, with Altuve batting .350 with six homers and Tucker at .281 with five home runs. Tucker’s 17 RBIs are the best mark on the team and 8th in the league. Altuve has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 13/40 in his last nine games with three homers.

As a team, the Astros are batting .263, which is the 3rd best mark in the league. They are also the best team in the league at avoiding strikeouts. Overall, they are 7th in the league in home runs and are averaging 4 runs per game. At home, they are averaging 4.8 runs per game.

Cubs Records & Stats

Chicago is currently 15-9 overall and are in 2nd place in the NL Central, with the Brewers holding a half-game lead over them. The Cubs have won two straight games, with these two wins coming in the final two games of their series vs. the Marlins. So far, they have yet to play a game against other teams in the NL Central.

At home, the Cubs have gone 9-3 this season compared to 6-6 on the road. Chicago has won two straight games at home, and they are 4-1 as the home underdog this season. The Cubs have been good as the underdog overall, as they are 9-7 and 6-2 as the favorite.

When the Cubs win, they do so by an average of 3.5 runs per game, which has helped them to a 17-7 run line record on the season. They have covered the run line in six straight games as the underdog and are 12-4 overall in that situation. At home, they are 8-4 against the run line, and their average scoring margin at Wrigley Field is +2.6 runs per game.

Chicago’s over/under record for the season is 11-13, and the average over/under line in their games is 8 runs. In games where the line has been set at 7.5 runs, the over/under record is 3-2. The Cubs’ games have averaged 9.8 runs per game this season, and 75% of their games have had higher over/under lines than today’s 7.5-run total. The under has hit in two straight Cubs games, and the under has hit in 4 of their last 5 games overall.

Getting the start for the Cubs is Javier Assad, who will be making his second start of the season at home. In his first start of the year, Assad picked up a win on the road against the Mariners, going 5 2/3 innings and striking out 6. He followed that up with a no-decision vs. the Marlins, where he went 4 2/3 innings and gave up 3 hits and 3 walks.

Chicago comes into the game as one of the top-scoring teams in the league, averaging 5.4 runs per contest. At home, they are even better, putting up 6.1 runs per game. Overall, they are 4th in team batting average, hitting a collective .246. The Cubs have been patient at the plate, as they are 6th in walks and have the 5th best team slugging percentage in the league.

Michael Busch and Cody Bellinger have been two of the Cubs’ top power threats this season, with Busch’s six homers ranking 5th in the league, and Bellinger’s five homers putting him 6th in the league. Bellinger has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 8/23 in his last six games with three homers.