Houston Astros vs Chicago Cubs Picks and Predictions for Sunday May 24 2026

By: Jeremy O'Quinn Published 05/24/2026, 01:30 AM ET

Astros vs Cubs Game Information

The Houston Astros will wrap up their weekend series on Sunday, where they’ll face the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Get the rest of our free MLB picks here! Houston enters this matchup at 22-31 on the season, while Chicago comes in at 29-23, despite currently riding a five-game losing streak.

Astros Preview

The Astros have started to show signs of life offensively after a rough opening month. Houston has totaled 437 hits and 225 runs, averaging roughly 8.2 hits and 4.2 runs per game this season. Yordan Alvarez continues to anchor the lineup, batting .300 with 15 home runs, while Christian Walker is coming off a huge performance Saturday in which he homered twice in Houston’s 3-0 win. The Astros have now won back-to-back games in this series and their pitching staff has improved dramatically in May after a disastrous April stretch.

Houston is expected to send Peter Lambert to the mound on Sunday. Lambert enters this matchup with a 2-4 record and a 3.57 ERA, along with 35 strikeouts over 35.1 innings pitched this season. He has quietly become one of Houston’s steadier rotation arms and will look to continue the Astros’ recent pitching momentum.

Cubs Preview

The Cubs, meanwhile, still hold one of the better records in the National League despite their recent slump. Chicago has produced 417 hits and 248 runs, averaging roughly 8.0 hits and 4.8 runs per game this season. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki, and Alex Bregman have all been key contributors offensively, but the Cubs have struggled badly over the past week, scoring just two runs across their last three games.

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The Cubs are projected to counter with Shota Imanaga on the mound Sunday. Imanaga enters the game with a 4-4 record and a 3.38 ERA, while striking out 61 batters across 58.2 innings this season. The left-hander has continued to provide stability near the top of Chicago’s rotation and gives the Cubs a strong chance to avoid a sweep at home.

Cubs vs Astros Pick

The Cubs are desperate to bring their losing skid to an end on Sunday, while the Astros look to make it three straight. Expect the pitching from Imanaga to give the Cubs the edge and finally snap their losing streak. Final score prediction, Cubs win 4-2 and cover the -1.5 spread at home.