Giants vs. Cubs: Game 2, prediction, odds, injuries and picks

On Tuesday, the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs resume their three-game series at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Cubs took the first game 9-2, so they're aiming to clinch a series victory.

Giants vs. Cubs recent form and records

The Giants enter play at 22-14 after falling on Monday. They're in third in the NL West and have split their last 10 games. They'll attempt to avoid a losing streak.

The Cubs moved to 22-14. They lead the NL Central and are 6-4 in their last 10. They are coming off series wins over the Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Players to watch

Starting pitchers

Justin Verlander (0-2, 4.38 ERA, 32 strikeouts) vs. Colin Rea (2-0, 1.46 ERA, 21 strikeouts)

Justin Verlander is on the mound (Imagn)

Justin Verlander was 5-6 with a 5.48 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 74 strikeouts in 90.1 innings last year with the Houston Astros.

Last start: 6.1 innings, five hits, two earned runs, one walk and four strikeouts.

Career vs. Cubs: 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 18 innings (three appearances)

Colin Rea was 12-6 with a 4.29 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 135 strikeouts in 167.2 innings pitched last year for the Milwaukee Brewers

Last start: Six innings, four hits, two earned runs, two walks and two strikeouts

Career vs. Giants: 1-3 with an 8.57 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 21 innings (four appearances)

Must-watch hitters

Giants

Jung Hoo Lee has been excellent this year. He's leading the team with a .301 batting average and 40 hits. He also has 16 extra-base hits.

Wilmer Flores leads San Francisco with seven home runs and 31 RBIs. He also has seven walks.

Cubs

Ian Happ is hitting as well as anyone in baseball. He leads Chicago with 43 hits and has a .287 batting average and .370 on-base percentage.

Kyle Tucker is an MVP candidate, hitting .284 with a .963 OPS. He also leads the team with nine home runs and has 30 RBIs.

Injuries

Per the latest injury update, the Cubs placed Shota Imanaga on the 15-day Injured List. Otherwise, its injury status is the same. For the Giants, Tyler Fitzgerald, Casey Schmitt and Jerar Encarnacion resumed baseball activities on IL.

Giants vs. Cubs betting odds

Moneyline	Spread	Total
Giants +125	Giants +1.5 (-175)	Over 8 (-118)
Cubs -155	Cubs -1.5 (+145)	Under 8 (-102)

Giants vs Cubs expert predictions

The pitching matchup is in favor of Chicago. Normally, Justin Verlander would be a good matchup, but he's out of his prime and has not had a good run since 2023. Meanwhile, Colin Rea has been solid this year.

The offensive matchup also leans toward the Cubs. They have one of baseball's best offenses and have a ton of star power. The team should have no trouble putting runs on the board.

Prediction: Cubs 7, Giants 3

About the author

Zachary is a journalist covering NFL, Professional Golf, esports, and Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda. He has a degree in writing/editing from Southern Adventist University (USA), and in his spare time, he likes to play games such as Minecraft, Pokémon and Fortnite, or watch sports.

Ever since he was a youth football wide receiver, Zachary has been an avid NFL fan. He loves the Carolina Panthers, with Cam Newton being his all-time favorite player (with respect to the close second, Steve Smith). If you ever meet Zachary, prepare to hear all about how underrated Newton was and how he single-handedly dragged the Panthers to Super Bowl 50.

Zachary is also a big fan of top golfers like Tiger Woods, Wyndham Clark, and Scottie Scheffler. He enjoys watching them and hopes that Woods can return to form soon and win again.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez

Giants vs. Cubs: Game 2, prediction, odds, injuries and picks - May 6, MLB 2025