Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction & Picks - MLB

Prediction published on 4/12/26, 10:54 AM  by Carlos Zabala | Modified on 4/12/26 at 6:55 PM in MLB Picks

Even before the 2026 MLB season began, there was much speculation that the Pirates could be a dangerous team, and they certainly have been. After defeating the Cubs 4-3 in extra innings at Wrigley Field, they improved their record to 9-5.

Saturday's game was a real treat, one in which O'Neil Cruz redeemed himself with his bat for all the mistakes made with his glove. The Dominican, batting leadoff, went 4-for-5. But perhaps the Pirates' star on Saturday was actually Yohan Ramírez, the 30-year-old reliever who cruised through the tenth and eleventh innings, escaping two bases-loaded jams. Bubba Chandler, another young pitcher generating buzz because he throws nearly 100 mph with his fastball, will start for Pittsburgh when they attempt to complete the sweep in Chicago.

The Cubs recently awarded Crow-Armstrong a substantial contract, but the center fielder has yet to meet expectations, particularly in the early stages of the season. Just recently, he hit his first home run of the season and didn't celebrate, as his usual performances have been like yesterday's, where he went 1-for-4 with 3 strikeouts.