Reds vs Cubs Picks and Prediction – 5/30/2025

The Friday MLB schedule will get underway with a matinee between the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs from Wrigley Field. Be ready for the baseball season with all of our MLB predictions. The Reds (28-29) are a game below .500 on the road and are 7.5 games out of first place in the NL Central Division. On Wednesday, Cincinnati 1B Spencer Steer went 3-for-4 and plated both runs during a 3-2 roads loss against Kansas City. 

Twenty-five year old southpaw Andrew Abbott (4-0 1.77 ERA) is quietly pitching well for the Reds. Through 40 plus innings, Abbott has allowed four home runs and fanned 45 batters while posting a solid 1.16 WHIP.

The Chicago Cubs are riding a four-game winning streak and hold a three-game lead over St. Louis for the top spot in the NL Central Division. On Wednesday, Chicago completed a three-game sweep of lowly Colorado with a 2-1 home victory. OF Pete Crow-Armstrong smashed his 15th home run and Seiya Suzuki added a run-scoring double for the Cubs (35-21), who improved to 18-10 at home. 

Chicago manager Craig Counsell will turn to veteran right-hander Colin Rea (3-1 3.28 ERA) on Friday. In his last start, Rea (5 IP) was tagged for six runs and struck out eight batters during a 6-4 road loss against Cincinnati. 

Chicago SP Shota Imanaga (hamstring) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and hopes to rejoin the rotation in the next week or so. Through 57 games, Cincinnati ranks 12th in OPS and 8th in runs scored. For the season, Chicago ranks 3rd in OPS and 1st in runs scored. Take the Reds to win on the road. Final Score Prediction, Cincinnati Reds win 5-3.