It’s been a terrific season for the Cubs, on track for a playoff appearance at 76-55. Still, this group remains 5.5 games behind the NL Central-leading Brewers. That makes every game down the stretch crucial for Chicago. Tonight, the team will take on a Giants squad that has fallen out of contention (63-68). Can San Francisco put together a solid performance tonight against a World Series contender? Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Tuesday’s showdown between the Cubs and Giants.
The Cubs are favorites (-143) over the Giants, with the over/under set at 7.5 runs. Let’s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook entering tonight’s contest.
Cubs vs. Giants prediction, preview
In a Chicago rotation with several solid arms, none have been better this season than Matthew Boyd. Over 148.0 innings of work, the left-hander has notched a 2.61 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 129 strikeouts. In addition, the 34-year-old has allowed four or more runs in just three of his 25 outings. If there’s any kind of knock on Boyd, he’s a full run better at home (2.12 ERA) than on the road (3.09 ERA). Regardless, it’s safe to call the All-Star one of the National League’s top hurlers in 2025.
Boyd will have a chance to add on to his impressive season-long numbers tonight in a favorable matchup. The Giants have been on a massive slump, going 18-28 since the start of July. During that time, the team has averaged 3.89 runs per game, the third-worst mark in baseball. To make matters worse, San Francisco struggles mightily against left-handed pitching. No other club is as bad against southpaws as the Giants (.614 OPS).
If the home team wants to earn an upset win, they’ll need Justin Verlander at his best. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case for most of the righty’s tenure in San Francisco. Over 22 starts for his newest club, JV owns a mediocre 4.64 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 99 strikeouts. A date with the Cubs, baseball’s fifth-highest scoring offense, doesn’t sound ideal. With that being said, Chicago is averaging the league’s fewest runs per game in August (3.39).
Cubs vs. Giants pick, best bet
Best Bet: SF Giants under 3.5 total runs (-130)
For all of Verlander’s struggles, the Cubs have looked awful at the plate recently. Keeping that in mind, it’s tough to assess what kind of offensive output we’ll see from Chicago tonight. A safer play might be to look towards Boyd against this woeful San Francisco lineup. Given their difficulty hitting lefties, I’m not expecting many runs from the Giants on Tuesday.
