The Houston Astros host the Chicago Cubs on June 29, 2025. First pitch from Daikin Park is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. EDT; the game will be broadcast on SCHN.
Find our MLB betting preview and Cubs vs Astros prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
Our Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros Prediction
- Cubs vs Astros picks: Under 8 (-120, BetMGM)
Our Cubs vs Astros best bet is Under 8. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros Odds, Spread
| Cubs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -175 | 8 100o / -120u | +125 |
| Astros Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +145 | 8 100o / -120u | -150 |
Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP Jameson Taillon (CHC) | Stat | LHP Framber Valdez (HOU) |
|---|---|---|
| 7-5 | W-L | 8-4 |
| 0.2 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 2.5 |
| 4.47/4.51 | ERA /xERA | 2.88/3.83 |
| 5.19/4.20 | FIP / xFIP | 3.06/3.18 |
| 1.10 | WHIP | 1.13 |
| 13.9 | K-BB% | 15.7 |
| 33.1 | GB% | 59.5 |
| 96 | Stuff+ | 107 |
| 109 | Location+ | 103 |
Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros Preview, Prediction
Framber Valdez has nine quality starts in a row, including six straight games with two runs allowed or fewer, so the Houston starter is a big reason why the under is a good option today.
Valdez also has performed much better at home, with a 2.04 ERA compared to his 3.78 on the road.
After two games in this series where these teams went over the total, offenses might cool off a bit today, especially since the matchups do not favor them.
The Cubs will not only have to deal with Valdez's stuff, but they are also less productive against left-handers in general, ranking 9th in wRC+ (110) and 12th in average (.249) while sitting second in wRC+ (120) and sixth in average (.260) versus righties.
The Astros have the same issue today. They are way worse against right-handers like Chicago's Jameson Taillon, ranking 17th in wRC+ (102) compared to their second spot overall versus southpaws (121).
This aligns with our Bet Labs recommendation based on Evan Abrams' Contrarian Unders for Winning Teams, Later in Series system, which points to the under today.
Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros Pick, Betting Analysis
This system targets unders in MLB series games (Game 2 or later) where both teams have winning records, suggesting quality pitching and competitive matchups. However, public betting leans toward the over — likely expecting fireworks between top teams — which creates contrarian value on the under.
By capitalizing on low public support for the under (≤35%), the strategy fades public perception in favor of market inefficiencies, especially when bettors overestimate offensive output late in a series.
Pick: Under 8 (-120, BetMGM)
