Venue: Wrigley Field — Chicago, Illinois
First Pitch: 1:20 PM CT
Broadcast: Marquee Sports Network, AT&T SportsNet Southwest, MLB.TV
The Astros and Cubs wrap up their weekend set at Wrigley Field with a pitching matchup that heavily favors Chicago on paper. Houston continues to search for consistency amid a disappointing start, while the Cubs look to keep pace in the NL Central behind one of the league’s best rotations.
Venue & Weather
Wrigley Field — Chicago, IL
Weather Forecast (May 24):
- Temperature: 72–75°F
- Wind: 10–14 mph out to left field
- Humidity: 55–60%
- Rain: <10%
- Impact:
- Wind blowing out → boost for right-handed power hitters
- Warm air increases carry
- Could turn routine fly balls into extra-base hits
Injury Report
Houston Astros
- Kyle Tucker — Day-to-day (wrist)
- Yordan Álvarez — Active
- José Altuve — Active
- Justin Verlander — OUT (shoulder)
- Cristian Javier — OUT (forearm)
- Framber Valdez — Active
Chicago Cubs
- Seiya Suzuki — Day-to-day (hamstring)
- Cody Bellinger — Active
- Dansby Swanson — Active
- Jameson Taillon — OUT (elbow)
- Julian Merryweather — OUT (lat)
Team Records & Recent Form
Houston Astros (21–31)
- Last 10: 4–6
- Trend: Offense inconsistent, pitching struggling
- Strength: Middle-of-order power (Álvarez, Bregman)
- Weakness: Rotation depth, bullpen fatigue
Chicago Cubs (29–22)
- Last 10: 6–4
- Trend: Pitching strong, offense improving
- Strength: Starting rotation, plate discipline
- Weakness: Occasional defensive miscues
Probable Pitching Matchup
Houston — RHP Peter Lambert (1–4, 5.12 ERA)
- Profile:
- Four-seam/slider mix
- Pitch-to-contact righty
- Vulnerable to hard contact vs left-handed hitters
- Splits:
- Vs RHB: .278 AVG
- Vs LHB: .301 AVG
- Road ERA: 5.40
- Matchup Notes:
- Cubs’ lefties (Bellinger, Busch) are dangerous
- Wind blowing out is a concern for Lambert’s fly-ball tendencies
Chicago — LHP Shota Imanaga (6–1, 2.48 ERA)
- Profile:
- Elite command, deceptive fastball
- High strikeout rate, low walk rate
- One of MLB’s best offseason signings
- Splits:
- Vs RHB: .214 AVG
- Vs LHB: .198 AVG
- Home ERA: 2.31
- Matchup Notes:
- Astros’ right-handed bats (Altuve, Bregman, Peña) must be aggressive early
- Imanaga’s fastball plays extremely well at Wrigley
Key Player Matchups
1. Yordan Álvarez (HOU) vs. Shota Imanaga
- Álvarez is Houston’s best weapon vs lefties
- Imanaga’s fastball up in the zone is a tough matchup Edge: Chicago
2. Cody Bellinger (CHC) vs. Peter Lambert
- Bellinger thrives vs right-handed pitching
- Lambert’s fly-ball profile + wind out = danger Edge: Chicago
3. José Altuve (HOU) vs. Imanaga
- Altuve handles lefties well
- But Imanaga’s command limits mistakes Edge: Even
4. Dansby Swanson (CHC) vs. Lambert
- Swanson’s power to left field plays well in these conditions Edge: Chicago
Series History
- 2025 Season: Cubs won 3–1
- 2026 Season: Cubs lead season series 2–0 entering Sunday
- At Wrigley Field (last 6): Cubs lead 4–2
- Trend: Cubs’ pitching has consistently outperformed Houston in recent meetings
Betting Trends
Houston Astros
- Astros are 3–7 in last 10 road games
- Over is 5–2 in last 7 Astros games
- Houston is 1–6 in Lambert’s last 7 starts
Chicago Cubs
- Cubs are 6–1 in Imanaga’s last 7 starts
- Under is 4–1 in Cubs’ last 5 home games
- Cubs are 8–3 in last 11 overall
GAME ODDS
Houston Astros 7.5
Chicago Cubs – 169
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, May 23, 2026
