MLB Game Preview: Chicago Cubs (49-34) vs. Houston Astros (49-34)

First pitch is set for 2:10 p.m. ET, with coverage on Marquee Sports Network, AT&T SportsNet Southwest, and MLB.tv.

Matchup	Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros
Date & Time	Sunday, June 29 – 2:10 p.m. ET
Venue	Daikin Park, Houston, TX
Broadcast	Marquee, ATTSW, MLB.tv

This is the series finale of a three-game interleague set. The Astros are riding a five-game winning streak, while the Cubs aim to avoid a sweep and stay atop the NL Central.

Team Form & Trends

Chicago Cubs (49–34, 1st in NL Central)

• Recent Form: 6–4 in last 10 games
• Offensive Leaders:
  • Pete Crow-Armstrong: 21 HR, 24 SB – 20/20 club in first 80 games
  • Kyle Tucker: 16 HR, 19 SB – former Astro facing old team
  • Nico Hoerner: 87 hits, .289 AVG – table-setter with 3.2 WAR
• Team Trends:

• 2nd in MLB in runs scored
• 3rd in home runs and stolen bases
• +100 run differential (best in NL)

Houston Astros (49–34, 1st in AL West)

• Recent Form: 12–3 in last 15 games
• Pitching Dominance:
  • 3rd in MLB in ERA (3.40)
  • 1st in strikeouts (798)
  • 2nd-best bullpen ERA (led by Josh Hader)
• Offensive Leaders:

• Isaac Paredes: 16 HR, .820 OPS – thriving at home
• Jeremy Peña: .324 AVG – 5th in MLB
• Cam Smith: .271 AVG, 5 HR – red-hot rookie

Probable Starting Pitchers

Chicago Cubs: Jameson Taillon (RHP)

• Record: 7–5 ERA: 4.47 WHIP: 1.29
• Last Start: 5.0 IP, 4 ER vs Cardinals
• Trend: Inconsistent but capable of quality starts; Cubs are 3–2 in his last 5 outings

Houston Astros: Framber Valdez (LHP)

• Record: 8–4 ERA: 2.88 WHIP: 1.08
• Last Start: 7.0 IP, 0 ER vs Phillies
• Trend: 13 straight starts of 5+ innings; opponents hitting just .214

Key Matchups to Watch

• Kyle Tucker vs Framber Valdez: Former teammates now face off; Tucker has 3 HR in last 7 games
• Crow-Armstrong vs Astros’ Bullpen: The Cubs’ leadoff spark plug will test Houston’s elite late-inning arms
• Paredes vs Taillon: Paredes has slugged .500+ at home and is a threat to go deep

Head-to-Head & Betting Insights

• Astros are 35–22 as favorites this season
• Cubs are 9–15 as underdogs
• Over is 33–49 in Astros games; Under trending due to elite pitching
• Astros are 21–13 at home; Cubs are 22–18 on the road