by Rod Pearson
Friday, Aug 28, 2026
Game Time: 2:20 pm ET, Saturday, August 29, 2026
Venue: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Where to Watch: MLB TV
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Moneyline odds: Reds +160, Cubs -190; Over/Under: NL runs
Bet365: Moneyline odds: Reds +160, Cubs -190; Over/Under: NL runs
BetMGM: Moneyline odds: Reds +160, Cubs -190; Over/Under: NL runs
Season Record
Cincinnati Reds: 63-71 (5th place, NL Central)
Chicago Cubs: 76-58 (2nd place, NL Central)
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Recent Form
Cincinnati Reds: 4-6 last 10
Chicago Cubs: 4-6 last 10
Cincinnati Reds vs Chicago Cubs Preview and Analysis
The Reds are entering this series off a win and lost their 3-game series against the San Francisco Giants 2-1 in their last series. They enter this game with a 63-71 record overall and have a road record of 31-35. This is the 2nd game of a 3-game series with the Cubs on Saturday with the series opener still to be played on Friday. Their offense ranks 25th in the MLB with a .697 OPS. Rhett Lowder is their starting pitcher on Friday while Andrew Abbott is making his start in this game on Saturday. He is 6-9 with a 4.15 ERA this season. His team lost their last 2 straight games this season with him making an appearance. In his last MLB regular season appearance, he allowed 4 ER, 0 HR, and 2 BB with 6 SO on 7 hits through 6 IP against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cubs are entering this series off a loss and lost their 3-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 in their last series. They enter this game with a 76-58 record overall and have a home record of 38-27. This is the 2nd game of a 3-game series with the Reds on Saturday with the 1st game of this series still to be played on Friday. Their offense ranks 1st in the MLB with a .760 OPS. David Peterson is their starting pitcher on Friday while Kevin Gausman is making his start in this game on Saturday. He is 7-11 with a 4.37 ERA this season. His team won their last 2 straight games this season with him making an appearance. In his last MLB regular season start, he allowed 0 earned runs, 0 homers, and 1 walk with 6 strikeouts on 3 hits through 7 innings pitched against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Reds vs Cubs Prediction
The current betting odds have the Cubs listed as a favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Cubs have looked great in their games this season with their 76-58 record overall which has them right near the top of the NL Central. They have looked good in their own ballpark too with their 38-27 home record this season. Meanwhile, the Reds haven't looked good in their games this season with their 63-71 record overall which has them right at the bottom of the NL Central. They haven't been a great road team either with their 31-35 road record this year. The Cubs are 4-6 in their last 10 games and haven't looked great lately, but the Reds are also 4-6 in their last 10 games and haven't looked any better. The Cubs have been a steadier team all season too with one of the best records in MLB while the Reds have been drifting away from the playoff race the last 2 weeks. The Reds are going with Abbott in this one and he hasn't looked great this season. He is 6-9 with a 4.15 ERA and he has been giving up quite a few runs lately. He is coming off another bad start giving up 4 earned runs which has been a common theme for him and the team has had trouble lately too, losing 2 games in a row now with him starting. The Cubs are going with Gausman in this one and he hasn't looked great this season either. He is 7-11 with a 4.37 ERA, but lately he has looked a lot better. He is coming off a great start giving up no runs and the team has won 2 games in a row now with him starting, pitching a lot better since getting traded from the Blue Jays. The Reds haven't had a great offense this season either while the Cubs have one of the best offenses in the league, so look for the Cubs to take advantage of this pitching matchup with Gausman improving. The best way to place a bet here is on the Cubs to win this game.
Reds Cubs Prediction: Our MLB Pick for Saturday, August 29, 2026 (2:20 pm ET start time) is Cubs 7 Reds 4.
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MLB Betting Trends
Cincinnati Reds: 222-237 (-9.2 units) on the moneyline in all games. 62-81 (-18.4 units) on the moneyline against division opponents. 116-135 (-21.9 units) on the moneyline vs. an NL team with a team batting average of .255 or worse. 6-3 OVER as a road underdog of +150 to +200.
Chicago Cubs: 256-210 (+17.8 units) on the moneyline in all games. 137-95 (+12.1 units) on the moneyline in home games. 170-112 (+12.1 units) on the moneyline as a favorite of -110 or higher. 35-23 OVER vs. an NL team with a slugging percentage .400 or worse on the season.
Key Injuries
Cincinnati Reds: M. Toglia (1B) Ten Day IL - Shoulder. H. Greene (SP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. B. Dunn (CF) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. S. Steer (1B) Ten Day IL - Wrist. G. Ashcraft (RP) Sixty Day IL - Forearm. B. Williamson (SP) Sixty Day IL - Shoulder.
Chicago Cubs: P. Maton (RP) Sixty Day IL - Knee. E. Cabrera (SP) Fifteen Day IL - Blister. D. Swanson (SS) Ten Day IL - Side. B. Brown (RP) Sixty Day IL - Neck. G. Hollowell (RP) Fifteen Day IL - Shoulder. M. Shaw (RF) Ten Day IL - Hand. H. Milner (RP) Fifteen Day IL - Appendicitis. R. Martin (RP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. P. Hodge (RP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. C. Horton (SP) Sixty Day IL - Forearm. H. Harvey (RP) Sixty Day IL - Tricep. J. Steele (SP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow. T. Austin (1B) Sixty Day IL - Knee. S. Miller (RP) Sixty Day IL - Elbow.
Notable Quotes
“Geno hits the home run and you’re kind of like, ‘Why can’t that be the tying run?' But to our guys’ credit, they kept going.” - Terry Francona after his team’s win against the Giants in their game on Wednesday.
“They flat-out missed it. It's obvious to everybody on TV. It's obvious to anybody. They missed it.” - Craig Counsell on a missed balk in their loss against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Starting Lineups
Cincinnati Reds
Dane Myers (R) CF
Elly De La Cruz (S) SS
Sal Stewart (R) 1B
Tyler Stephenson (R) DH
Eugenio Suárez (R) 3B
JJ Bleday (L) LF
Matt McLain (R) 2B
Jose Trevino (R) C
Héctor Rodríguez (L) RF
Chicago Cubs
Pete Crow-Armstrong (L) CF
Seiya Suzuki (R) RF
Michael Busch (L) 1B
Alex Bregman (R) 3B
Ian Happ (S) LF
Nico Hoerner (R) SS
Pedro Ramírez (S) 2B
Michael Conforto (L) DH
Carson Kelly (R) C
Statistical Leaders
Cincinnati Reds
Batting Average: Blake Dunn (.282)
Hits: Sal Stewart (134)
Home Runs: Sal Stewart (28)
RBI: Sal Stewart (100)
Stolen Bases: Elly De La Cruz (23)
Wins: Chase Burns (14)
Saves: Emilio Pagán (17)
ERA: Brock Burke (2.69)
Chicago Cubs
Batting Average: Justin Dean (.375)
Hits: Pete Crow-Armstrong (141)
Home Runs: Pete Crow-Armstrong (33)
RBI: Pete Crow-Armstrong (83)
Stolen Bases: Pete Crow-Armstrong (32)
Wins: Colin Rea (8)
Saves: Jacob Webb (9)
ERA: Ty Blach (0.00)
Managers:
Cincinnati Reds: Terry Francona (2nd season)
Chicago Cubs: Craig Counsell (3rd season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
