MLB Game Preview: Baltimore Orioles (50-59) vs. Chicago Cubs (63-45)

The Chicago Cubs (63-45) host the Baltimore Orioles (50-59) in the opener of a three-game series at historic Wrigley Field. With the Cubs surging in the NL Central and the Orioles fighting to stay afloat in the AL East, this interleague clash offers playoff implications, standout pitching, and power-hitting drama.

Team Comparison

Category	Chicago Cubs	Baltimore Orioles
Record	63-45 (2nd NL Central)	50-59 (5th AL East)
Last 10 Games	6-4	5-5
Team ERA	3.96	4.89
Batting Avg.	.255	.245
Runs Scored	570	482
Home Runs	158 (3rd in MLB)	136 (10th in MLB)

Pitching Matchup

• Cubs Starter: Cade Horton (4-3, 3.67 ERA, 50 K)
  • Coming off 6.1 scoreless innings vs. White Sox
  • 3 quality starts this season
  • Opponents batting .264 against him
• Orioles Starter: Trevor Rogers (4-1, 4.02 ERA)

• Solid lefty with 22% strikeout rate
• Allowed 3 ER over 5 innings in last outing vs. Toronto
• Faces a Cubs lineup ranked 2nd in slugging (.444)

Key Players to Watch

Chicago Cubs

• Pete Crow-Armstrong: 27 HR, 78 RBI, batting .368 over last 5 games
• Seiya Suzuki: 26 HR, 81 RBI, team leader in power and run production
• Nico Hoerner: Batting .291, consistent contact hitter and table-setter

Baltimore Orioles

• Gunnar Henderson: .285 AVG, 12 HR, 43 RBI, hitting .350 over last 5 games
• Jackson Holliday: 14 HR, 43 RBI, .263 AVG, emerging star in the infield
• Jordan Westburg: 12 HR, 2-for-5 with HR in last game vs. Blue Jays

Game Storylines

• The Cubs are 44-18 when favored by -124 or more this season
• Baltimore’s offense has scored 40 runs in their last 5 games, including back-to-back blowouts vs. Toronto
• Cubs recently bolstered their bullpen with Andrew Kittredge and Michael Soroka
• Orioles’ bullpen struggles: Yennier Cano allowed 5 ER in his last outing

How to Watch

• TV: MARQ (Chicago), MASN2 (Baltimore)
• Streaming: Fubo (regional restrictions apply)
• Live Stats: MLB Statcast Game Center