Picks and Betting Line for Cubs vs Angels Friday, August 22, 2025

Chicago Cubs

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Los Angeles Angels

As the Los Angeles Angels prepare to host the Chicago Cubs on August 22, 2025, both teams are looking to establish momentum in this Interleague matchup. The Angels, currently sitting at 61-66, are having a below-average season, while the Cubs boast a solid 73-55 record, positioning themselves well in the playoff race. In their last game, the Angels edged out the Cubs with a narrow 2-1 victory, which could add some psychological advantage heading into this series opener.

Tyler Anderson is projected to take the mound for the Angels. Despite being ranked as the 214th best starting pitcher in MLB, Anderson’s recent performances have been lackluster, with an ERA of 4.77 and a troubling 2-8 record this season. His last outing on August 16 saw him struggle, allowing 4 earned runs over just 4 innings. He faces a Cubs lineup that ranks 8th in MLB, making this matchup particularly challenging for him.

On the other side, Javier Assad is set to start for the Cubs. Although he has only made 2 starts this year and carries a 0-1 record with an ERA of 5.63, the projections suggest he may have been unlucky, as indicated by his xFIP of 4.70. With the Angels’ offense ranking 25th in batting average and 1st in strikeouts, Assad could find some success against a lineup that struggles to make consistent contact.

Betting markets indicate a close contest, with the Angels having a moneyline of +110 and the Cubs at -130. The Game Total is set at a high 9.5 runs, reflecting expectations for a competitive matchup. The Angels’ best hitter has been heating up, boasting a 1.099 OPS over the last week, which could provide a much-needed boost against a strong Cubs bullpen ranked 6th in MLB.

Chicago Cubs Insights

• Chicago Cubs – Moneyline (-125)
  The Chicago Cubs outfield defense projects as the 3rd-best among every team today.
  Explain: Defense is an integral part of preventing hits and runs.
• Justin Turner – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+145/-185)
  Typically, bats like Justin Turner who hit a lot of flyballs tend to perform worse when facing pitchers who also induce a lot of flyballs such as Tyler Anderson.
  Explain: This mostly has to do with the way the hitter’s swing plane interacts with the pitch trajectory, and it can create diminished performance across all categories and hidden value few are considering.
• Chicago Cubs – 2H Moneyline
  The Chicago Cubs bullpen profiles as the 5th-best in baseball, according to the leading projection system (THE BAT).
  Explain: Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a strong bullpen sneakily creates a tougher matchup for the opposing offense and suppresses a game’s runs.

Los Angeles Angels Insights

• Tyler Anderson – Over/Under 3.5 Strikeouts (-110/-120)
  Considering that flyball hitters face a disadvantage against flyball pitchers, Tyler Anderson (41% GB% per the leading projection system, THE BAT) is well-situated in this game with 3 FB hitters in the opposition’s projected lineup.
  Explain: This mostly has to do with the way the hitter’s swing plane interacts with the pitch trajectory, and it can create boosted performance across all categories and hidden value few are considering.
• Mike Trout – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+115/-150)
  Mike Trout has strong power (98th percentile) if he makes contact, but that’s never a sure thing (27.6% K%). Today, however, opposing pitcher Javier Assad is a pitch-to-contact type (20th percentile K%) — great news for Trout.
  Explain: If he is less likely to strikeout, he’ll be more likely to make contact, which is often hard, home-run contact.
• Mike Trout – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+115/-150)
  Mike Trout projects as the 15th-best batter in the game, via the leading projection system (THE BAT X).
  Explain: THE BAT X is a highly sophisticated projection system that accounts for a multitude of factors and regularly tests among the most accurate systems available.

Betting Trends

• Los Angeles Angels – Over/Under 2.5 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total (+110/-140)
  The Los Angeles Angels have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Over in 42 of their last 66 games (+17.00 Units / 22% ROI)
• Over/Under 9.5 Game Total (-110/-110)
  The Chicago Cubs have hit the Game Total Under in 42 of their last 72 games (+12.35 Units / 16% ROI)
• Seiya Suzuki – Over/Under 0.5 Walks (+130/-165)
  Seiya Suzuki has hit the Walks Over in 14 of his last 25 games (+9.85 Units / 39% ROI)