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Chicago Cubs at Detroit Tigers Weekend Series Predictions with Odds and Analysis

by Ryan Cobbett - 6/6/2025

Chicago Cubs at Detroit Tigers series predictions Dansby Swanson

As we head into the weekend, there are some great matchups that await. The Yankees and Boston will renew their rivalry this weekend, while the Padres and Brewers are set for an exciting series tilt as the two teams try to keep pace with their division leaders. However, there is one particular series that stands above the rest and that is the matchup of the two Central Division leaders. The Chicago Cubs will travel to Detroit for a three-game set as each team looks to build on their division lead.

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Where They Stand

The Chicago Cubs have won eight of their last 10 games and are now 39-23. They hold a five-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central division. Chicago’s +106-run differential is the best mark in the MLB this season. The Cubs are second in the league in runs scored, second in stolen bases, fourth in OPS, and fifth in homeruns. Pete Crow-Armstrong has burst onto the scene this season as he leads the team with a 3.9 WAR and that is just second to Aaron Judge in the league. Crow-Armstrong has a team best 16 homeruns and 21 stolen bases and he is tied for the team lead with 53 RBIs. However, it has been much more than the Cubs budding star. Kyle Tucker, Dansby Swanson, and Seiya Suzuki all have at least 11 homeruns while Tucker joins Crow-Armstrong as the only Cubs player with double-digit homeruns and stolen bases. The pitching staff has not been as dominant as their lineup, but they still rank in the top half of the league with a 3.71 ERA which ranks 11th. They also rank 14th in WHIP, though they do give up the long ball more than they would like. Shota Imanaga remains the leader in WAR (1.2) despite only making eight starts this season as he remains on the IL. Matthew Boyd has emerged as a solid option out of the rotation as he has a 3.01 ERA and eight quality starts in 12 starts this season.

As for the Detroit Tigers, they have a commanding six game lead over the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central division thanks to their league leading record of 41-23. Their +91-run differential is the third best mark in the MLB and their 21-8 home record is the second-best mark in the league. They have finally figured out how to score some runs as they rank fourth in the MLB in runs scored while also ranking inside the Top 10 in homeruns and OPS. One interesting thing to note is they are last in the league in stolen bases with just 22 on the year. The production from this lineup has been seen from top to bottom. Catcher Dillon Dingler leads the team with a 1.8 WAR while Zach McKinstry (1.6) and Riley Greene (1.5) follow. Greene is joined by Spencer Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter as the trio of Detroit hitters who have recorded double-digit homeruns. Their pitching staff has been elite. They rank fourth in the league with a team ERA of 3.19, while their 1.17 WHIP is also fourth. Tarik Skubal has repeated his Cy Young prowess as he has a 2.26 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP through 12 starts this season. The Tigers also have a trio of relievers who have been performing at an elite level this season. Brant Hurter, Will Vest, and Tommy Kahnle all have sub-2.00 ERA’s.

Team Betting Notes:

Chicago Cubs:

  • The Chicago Cubs are 33-29 ATS this season, which ranks eighth in the MLB, and they have covered 17 of their 31 road games this season.
  • The Cubs have seen the Over hit in 34 of their 62 games this season with the over hitting in 17 road games this season.
  • The Cubs have averaged 3.6 runs per game over their last 10 games and have scored seven or more in four of those games.

Detroit Tigers:

  • The Detroit Tigers are 35-29 ATS this season, which is the fourth best mark in the MLB, and they have covered 17 of their 29 home games this season.
  • The Tigers are about as middle ground as you can get in regard to the game total as they are 30-30-4 over the course of the season, though they have seen the Under hit in 58% of their home games.
  • The Tigers pitching has allowed just 2.7 runs per game over their last 10 games and they have limited opponents to just one run or less in five of those games.

Player Highlights:

Chicago Cubs:

  • Crow-Armstrong averages 2.2 total bases per game while Tucker is right behind him with a 1.97 mark.
  • Suzuki has not hit a homerun in his last nine games which is tied for his longest drought of the season.
  • Tucker has nine of his 12 homeruns on the road this season and he is hitting .303 away from home, which is better than his .283 season AVG.

Detroit Tigers:

  • Greene has struggled at home this season as he has hit just four of his 13 homeruns in front of his hometown fans.
  • Torkelson has hit just .211 at home this season and .212 against right-handed pitchers this week.
  • Greene and Torkelson are both averaging more than a strikeout per game this season.

Game 1 Preview – Ben Brown (3-3, 5.72 ERA) vs. Tarik Skubal (5-2, 2.26 ERA)

Game 1 Analysis: One of the best lineups against one of the best pitchers in today’s game. Skubal has been incredible this season once again and has dominated the opposition. Tucker has the most at-bats against Skubal out of the Cubs players. He has failed to record a hit in his eight plate appearances. Suzuki is 1/3 against Skubal and he is the most successful amongst Cubs hitters against Skubal. Skubal will get the shut down win here in a low scoring game.

My Pick: Detroit Tigers to Win -190, Under 7.5 -135

Game 2 – Jameson Taillon (5-3, 3.76 ERA) vs. Keider Montero (2-1, 4.02 ERA)

Game 3 – Cade Horton (3-0, 3.51 ERA) vs. Jack Flaherty (4-6, 3.72 ERA)

Series Picks: After the low scoring first game, expect there to be runs galore during the remainder of the weekend series. The Cubs are one of the best lineups in the league and they won’t be shut down for more than just a game. The Cubs will storm into Detroit and take the weekend series after their Game 1 loss to Skubal. These Cubs should not be slept on. All in all, this will be a heck of a series to witness this weekend as this matchup is an underrated, but realistic World Series preview.

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