Discover the Betting Trends for Cubs vs Rangers Game – Friday, May 8, 2026

Chicago Cubs

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Texas Rangers

Chicago Cubs Insights

• Ben Brown – Over/Under 10.5 Pitching Outs (-110/-120)
  The leading projection system (THE BAT X) expects Ben Brown to be limited today, projecting a maximum of 81 pitches.
  Explain: A pitcher who is on a pitch count is likely to be pulled from the game earlier, record fewer outs, and generate fewer strikeouts.
• Michael Busch – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-190/+145)
  Michael Busch has primarily hit in the top-half of the lineup this season (78% of the time), but he is projected to hit 6th in the lineup in today’s game.
  Explain: The lower in the order a player bats, the fewer plate appearances he will get and the fewer opportunities he will get to hit the Over for every market. A player who hits lower in the order than he normally does may provide extra value opportunity since the market may be based on him hitting higher.
• Dansby Swanson – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-155/+120)
  In today’s game, Dansby Swanson is at a disadvantage facing the league’s 6th-deepest CF center field fences given that he hits his flyballs towards center field at a 40.4% rate (99th percentile).
  Explain: This player’s skill set does not match up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.

Texas Rangers Insights

• Kumar Rocker – Over/Under 3.5 Strikeouts (-140/+110)
  Kumar Rocker’s slider rate has spiked by 20.8% from last season to this one (15.8% to 36.6%) .
  Explain: Because sliders are one of the most effective pitches to use, a pitcher who alters his pitch mix to use more of them will often see more success as a result.
• Evan Carter – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+200/-265)
  Evan Carter’s average exit velocity has dropped off recently; his 87.8-mph seasonal EV has lowered to 82.3-mph in the last two weeks’ worth of games.
  Explain: Hitting the ball hard increases the chances of either a home run or the ball landing in fair territory for a hit before a fielder can get to it.
• Texas grades out as the #29 team in the majors when it comes to hitting balls between 23° and 34°, the launch angle range that tends to optimize home runs (13% rate this year).
  Explain: Balls that are hit too low can’t clear the fences, and balls that are hit too high generally don’t go far enough and are easy pop flies, but balls hit between 23° and 34° are far more likely to become home runs.

Betting Trends

• Texas Rangers – Over/Under 3.5 Team Total (-125/-105)
  The Texas Rangers have hit the Team Total Under in 14 of their last 19 games at home (+8.95 Units / 40% ROI)
• Chicago Cubs – Moneyline (-130)
  The Chicago Cubs have hit the Moneyline in 19 of their last 22 games (+16.75 Units / 56% ROI)
• Pete Crow-Armstrong – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+140/-180)
  Pete Crow-Armstrong has hit the Total Bases Over in 12 of his last 15 games (+9.05 Units / 47% ROI)