The series finale of this four-game set between NL Central rivals takes place Thursday night as the Pittsburgh Pirates (29-27) host the Chicago Cubs (30-26) at PNC Park.
It’s been a rough stretch for the Cubs lately, but they’re hoping Wednesday night’s 10-4 victory, which snapped a 10-game losing streak, is a sign of better things to come. Chicago has been wildly inconsistent this season, putting together two separate 10-game winning streaks before enduring its recent 10-game skid. Although the Cubs avoided an 11th straight loss Wednesday night, they have still dropped 14 of their last 17 games.
The Pirates, meanwhile, will look to bounce back Thursday night and stay afloat in the tightly contested NL Central race. Pittsburgh has a strong opportunity to secure the series win with reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes set to take the mound.
Cubs vs. Pirates Current Odds
Skenes is coming off back-to-back rough outings by his standards and hasn’t been quite as dominant as he was during his first two MLB seasons. Still, Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook lists the Pirates as home favorites for Thursday night’s series finale:
- Moneyline: Pirates -175, Cubs +145
- Run Line: Pirates -1.5 (+125), Cubs +1.5 (-150)
- Total (Runs): Over 7.5 (-105), Under 7.5 (-115)
Cubs vs. Pirates Picks & Predictions for May 28
The Cubs finally snapped their losing streak on Wednesday night and remain a talented team capable of putting together a turnaround. Whether they can keep that momentum going against Skenes and the Pirates remains to be seen.
Be sure to sign up with Hard Rock Bet and check out the Stats Hub for betting insights and trends surrounding Thursday night’s NL Central showdown.
Here’s one featured pick from Stats Hub for Thursday’s matchup:
Cubs vs. Pirates Best Bet: Colin Rea Over 2.5 Earned Runs
Colin Rea enters Thursday with a 4.83 ERA across 11 appearances, including eight starts. In games he has started this season, Rea has allowed more than 2.5 earned runs four times, including in each of his last three outings. He also allowed more than 2.5 earned runs in one of his three relief appearances.
The Pirates offense has been among the hottest in baseball during the month of May. Entering Thursday, Pittsburgh leads MLB in hits during May while ranking second in team batting average, third in runs scored, fourth in RBIs and on-base percentage, and fifth in both slugging percentage and OPS.
Simply put, the Pirates lineup is swinging some hot bats, while Rea has struggled recently.
- Cubs vs. Pirates Player Prop Pick for May 28: Colin Rea Over 2.5 Earned Runs (-115)
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props for CHC-PIT
Player props remain one of the most popular baseball betting markets, and that’s especially true for Thursday night’s NL Central clash in Pittsburgh:
- Brandon Lowe – Home Runs Over 0.5
- Oneil Cruz – Home Runs Over 0.5
- Paul Skenes – Strikeouts Over 6.5
- Brandon Lowe – Hits Over 0.5
- Bryan Reynolds – Hits Over 0.5
Cubs vs. Pirates Game Info
- 📍 Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
- 📅 Date: Thursday, May 28
- ⏰ First Pitch: 6:40 PM ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: MLB.TV
- ⚾ Probable Pitchers:
- Cubs: Colin Rea
- Pirates: Paul Skenes
More Ways to Bet
One swing can cash your ticket, but until then, Florida players can keep things interesting with Real Money Games powered by Past Motor Racing, only on Hard Rock Bet. It’s another way to stay engaged between plate appearances.
Referenced odds are subject to change.
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