Chicago Cubs vs Texas Rangers Prediction & Picks - MLB

Prediction published on 4/8/25, 4:38 PM  by Carlos Zabala | Modified on 2/16/26 at 4:27 PM in MLB Picks

The odds prior to game 1 of Cubs vs. Rangers at Wrigley Field closed around -120 for Chicago, and Steele showed his most dominant side, leaving the Rangers, who only had 3 hits in the game and struck out 9 times in the entire game, with no chance of any kind.

Tucker continues to be productive with his new team. On Monday, batting second, he went 2-for-5 with an RBI, but it was Ian Happ who drove in the most runs, 3 runs, despite batting 1-for-5.

April is seeing some of the coldest MLB games in recent decades. The thermometer read 34 degrees, the Cubs' coldest home game since 2011, and similar conditions are expected on Tuesday.

Tuesday's matchup will be a veterans' duel between Patrick Corbin and Taillon for the Cubs. Corbin will play in a non-Nationals uniform and will be given his first start in 2025, after posting a 5.62 ERA in 174.2 IP last season.

Taillon had a better second start in Sacramento than his first in the Arizona desert, but he'll return to Wrigley Field after posting a 3.27 ERA in 2024, his best since 2018 with the Pirates.