Orioles vs Cubs Betting Guide – 8/01/25

Baltimore Orioles logo

Baltimore Orioles

@
Chicago Cubs logo

Chicago Cubs

+130O/U: 7
(-105/-115)
-150

On August 1, 2025, the Chicago Cubs will host the Baltimore Orioles at Wrigley Field in the first game of their interleague series. The Cubs currently hold a strong record of 63-45, sitting comfortably in the playoff race, while the Orioles are struggling at 50-59. In their last outings, the Cubs showcased their offensive prowess by defeating their opponent 10-3, while the Orioles faced a heartbreaking 9-8 loss.

The matchup features two starting pitchers with contrasting performances. Cade Horton is projected to take the mound for the Cubs. With a 4-3 record and an impressive 3.67 ERA, Horton has shown flashes of potential, although his 4.42 xFIP suggests he may have benefited from some good luck this season. His last start was particularly strong, as he went six innings without allowing an earned run.

Conversely, Trevor Rogers will start for the Orioles. While his 1.49 ERA looks fantastic on paper, the projections indicate he might be overachieving, with a 3.76 xFIP hinting at a potential downturn. Rogers has also pitched well recently, throwing seven scoreless innings in his last start.

Offensively, the Cubs are a force to be reckoned with, ranking 3rd in MLB in home runs and boasting the 3rd-best overall offense. Baltimore’s offense, ranked 15th, has shown some ability, particularly with their power hitting—sitting 10th in home runs—but they face a challenging task against a strong Cubs lineup.

The Cubs are currently favored with a moneyline of -150, suggesting confidence in their ability to capitalize on this favorable matchup. Given the statistics and performance trends, Chicago appears to have the edge as they aim to continue their strong season at home.

Baltimore Orioles Insights

  • Trevor Rogers – Over/Under 4.5 Strikeouts (+110/-145)
    Trevor Rogers’s 2417-rpm fastball spin rate this year ranks in the 80th percentile out of all SPs.
    Explain: Spin rate is a key component to fastball success in generating strikeouts and preventing runs.
  • Coby Mayo – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-115/-115)
    Chicago’s #3-ranked outfield defense on the slate poses a formidable challenge for Coby Mayo, who tends to hit a lot of flyballs.
    Explain: This player’s skill set matches up poorly with the opposing team’s defensive strength, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.
  • Baltimore Orioles – 2H Moneyline
    According to the leading projection system (THE BAT), the Baltimore Orioles’ bullpen projects as the worst out of all the teams in Major League Baseball.
    Explain: Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a weak bullpen sneakily creates an easier matchup for the opposing offense and boosts a game’s runs.

Chicago Cubs Insights

  • Cade Horton – Over/Under 15.5 Pitching Outs (-110/-120)
    Cade Horton has been given a shorter leash than the typical pitcher this year, throwing 10 fewer adjusted pitches-per-game than the average hurler.
    Explain: Pitchers with a shorter leash are more likely to get pulled earlier in games and record fewer outs.
  • Ian Happ – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-130/+100)
    Ian Happ is projected to hit 7th on the lineup card today, which would be a downgrade from his 91% rate of hitting in the top-half of the batting order this season.
    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.
  • Pete Crow-Armstrong – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-160/+125)
    Pete Crow-Armstrong pulls a high percentage of his flyballs (36.5% — 94th percentile) but may find it hard to clear MLB’s 5th-deepest RF fences in today’s matchup.
    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.

Betting Trends

  • Chicago Cubs – Moneyline (-150)
    The Chicago Cubs have hit the Moneyline in 61 of their last 102 games (+11.30 Units / 7% ROI)
  • Over/Under 7.0 Game Total (-105/-115)
    The Baltimore Orioles have hit the Game Total Under in 30 of their last 44 away games (+14.53 Units / 30% ROI)
  • Nico Hoerner – Over/Under 0.5 Home Runs (+1200/-6000)
    Nico Hoerner has hit the Home Runs Over in 1 of his last 4 games (+12.00 Units / 300% ROI)