Read the Cubs vs Giants Betting Guide – August 26, 2025

Chicago Cubs

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San Francisco Giants

On August 26, 2025, the San Francisco Giants will host the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park in what promises to be an intriguing National League matchup. The Giants are currently struggling with a record of 63-68, placing them well below average this season. In contrast, the Cubs are enjoying a strong campaign with a record of 76-55, showcasing their competitive edge. This game marks the first in a series between these two teams.

The Giants are projected to start Justin Verlander, who has had a challenging year with a 1-10 record and a 4.64 ERA, indicating an average performance despite a low win total. His 3.87 FIP suggests some bad luck, hinting he could improve moving forward. Verlander is expected to pitch around 5.4 innings, allowing 2.6 earned runs, but his projections show he may struggle with allowing nearly 5 hits and 1.8 walks per game.

On the other side, the Cubs will counter with Matthew Boyd, who has been one of their standout pitchers this season. With a 12-6 record and an impressive 2.61 ERA, Boyd ranks as the 32nd best starting pitcher in MLB, reflecting his solid performance. He projects to pitch 5.3 innings and allow just 2.3 earned runs, although his tendency to give up 5 hits and 1.4 walks could be a concern.

Offensively, the Giants rank 25th in MLB, struggling particularly with a low batting average and power numbers. Meanwhile, the Cubs boast the 8th best offense, highlighted by their ability to hit home runs and generate runs effectively.

With the Giants as underdogs in this matchup, they face an uphill battle against a well-rounded Cubs team. The projections suggest a low-scoring game, with a total set at 7.5 runs, but if Verlander can tap into his potential, he might just help the Giants pull off an upset.

Chicago Cubs Insights

• Chicago Cubs – Moneyline (-145)
  Out of all the teams in action today, the 3rd-best infield defense is that of the the Chicago Cubs.
  Explain: Defense is an integral part of preventing hits and runs.
• Ian Happ – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-175/+135)
  Ian Happ is projected to bat 6th on the lineup card today, which would be a downgrade from his 83% 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.
• Chicago Cubs – Moneyline (-145)
  The Chicago Cubs projected lineup grades out as the 3rd-strongest on the slate today in terms of overall offensive ability.
  Explain: A pitcher who faces a strong opposing offense will be more likely to underperform his usual performance, particularly in terms of hits and runs, in that game.

San Francisco Giants Insights

• San Francisco Giants – 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline (+125)
  Justin Verlander is an extreme flyball pitcher (41.8% FB% according to the leading projection system, THE BAT) and is fortunate enough to be pitching in the #27 HR venue in Major League Baseball in this game.
  Explain: This pitcher’s skill set matches up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to better-than-usual performance.
• Luis Matos – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-155/+120)
  Luis Matos has been hot lately, raising his seasonal exit velocity of 88.6-mph to 94.3-mph in the past 7 days.
  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.
• San Francisco Giants – 2H Moneyline
  According to the leading projection system (THE BAT), the San Francisco Giants’ bullpen ranks as the 5th-worst among all the teams in 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.

Betting Trends

• San Francisco Giants – Over/Under 3.5 Team Total (+100/-130)
  The San Francisco Giants have hit the Team Total Under in 30 of their last 44 games at home (+14.70 Units / 29% ROI)
• Over/Under 7.5 Game Total (-110/-110)
  The Chicago Cubs have hit the Game Total Under in 16 of their last 22 games (+11.65 Units / 49% ROI)
• Rafael Devers – Over/Under 1.5 Hits Runs and RBIs (+115/-145)
  Rafael Devers has hit the Hits Runs and RBIs Under in 19 of his last 25 games at home (+12.75 Units / 44% ROI)