Pirates vs. Cubs odds, line, prediction, start time: 2025 MLB picks, June 13 best bets from proven model
SportsLine's model simulated Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs 10,000 times and revealed its MLB picks for Friday afternoon's matchup at Wrigley Field in Chicago
By
Daniel Kohn
•
3 min read
The Pittsburgh Pirates meet the Chicago Cubs in the second of a four-game weekend series in a National League Central matchup on Friday afternoon. Chicago earned a 3-2 win on Thursday night. The Pirates (28-42), who have won five of the past seven games and will start ace Paul Skenes, are 9-23 on the road this season. The Cubs (42-27), who have lost five of nine, are 21-11 on their home field in 2025.
First pitch from Wrigley Field in Chicago is set for 2:20 p.m. ET, and the wind right to left at 9 MPH. The Cubs have won seven of the past 10 meetings with the Pirates. Chicago is a -117 favorite on the money line (risk $117 to win $100) in the latest Cubs vs. Pirates odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, while Pittsburgh is at -103. The total number of runs Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 6.5. Before making any Pirates vs. Cubs picks, be sure to see the MLB predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times. It enters Week 12 of the 2025 MLB season on a 27-23 run on top-rated MLB sides picks. It has excelled making home run prop picks, returning more than 35 units of profit over the past two months. Anybody following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Pirates vs. Cubs and just locked in its picks and MLB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several MLB odds and betting lines for Cubs vs. Pirates which you can get in on with a DraftKings promo code or a FanDuel promo code.
Cubs vs. Pirates money line | Pittsburgh -103, Chicago -117 at DraftKings Sportsbook |
Cubs vs. Pirates over/under | 6.5 runs |
Cubs vs. Pirates run line | Pittsburgh -1.5 (+169) |
Cubs vs. Pirates picks | |
Cubs vs. Pirates streaming | Fubo (Try for free) |
Why the Cubs can win
Chicago is expected to send right-hander Cade Horton (3-1, 4.11 ERA) to the mound. In six games, including five starts, he has pitched 30.2 innings, allowing 33 hits, 14 earned runs and seven walks with 25 strikeouts. He took the loss in a 4-0 defeat at Detroit on Sunday. In that game, he pitched five innings, allowing seven hits, four earned runs and two walks, while striking out six. He has allowed three or fewer earned runs in five games.
Helping power the offense is second baseman Nico Hoerner. In 65 games, he is batting .285 with 16 doubles, one triple and 29 RBI. In Wednesday's 7-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, he was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. He was 2-for-4 with a walk in an 8-4 victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday. He has feasted on Pirates pitching throughout his career, hitting .358 in 51 career games, including 12 doubles, two triples, four homers and 31 RBI. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why the Pirates can win
Skenes (4-6, 1.88 ERA) is expected to start for Pittsburgh. He has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last seven outings. In 14 starts this season, he has pitched 91 innings, allowing 56 hits, 19 earned runs and 20 walks with 92 strikeouts. He received a no-decision in his last appearance, a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. In that game, he pitched 7.2 innings, allowing two hits, one run – none earned – with one walk and seven strikeouts.
Among Pittsburgh's top hitters is second baseman Adam Frazier. In 62 games, he is batting .259 with nine doubles, three homers and 18 RBI. In a 10-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Monday, he was 3-for-5 with an RBI. He was also 3-for-4 with a double in a 5-4 win over the Phillies on June 6. See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Cubs vs. Pirates picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 8 combined runs, and it says one side of the money line has all the value. You can head to SportsLine to see the model's MLB picks.
So who wins Cubs vs. Pirates, and which side of the money line has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its MLB picks, and find out.
