Central Division teams will face off on Tuesday as the Chicago Cubs take on the Minnesota Twins. This is the first game of a three-game series. Chicago has one of the most effective pitchers in baseball on the mound in this matchup. Find out if that will be enough for them to win in this Cubs vs Twins prediction for Tuesday night.
Our Cubs vs Twins Pick
- Pick: Cubs moneyline (-142)
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
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Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Chicago Cubs vs Minnesota Twins
- Date & Time: Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 7:40 p.m. ET
- Starting Pitchers: Shota Imanaga (CHC) vs Simeon Woods Richardson (MIN)
- Stadium: Target Field, Minneapolis
- Broadcast: MNNT and MARQ
Key Storylines
Pitching form
Shota Imanaga will start this game for the Cubs. He has been stellar with a 5-2 record and a 2.78 ERA. Since coming back from injury, Imanaga has gone 2-0 and will look for a third straight win here. Simeon Woods Richardson has struggled to find consistency. He is 4-4 with a 4.41 ERA. But he has given up one earned run over his last two starts and will look to build on those performances.
Bullpen usage
The Cubs have a 3.26 bullpen ERA. That number ranks fourth in MLB. Minnesota’s bullpen is 22nd in bullpen ERA at 4.29. Between that gap in bullpen talent and the Cubs’ starting pitching edge, Chicago’s pitching should outperform that of the Twins.
Recent team streaks
- The Cubs have won four of their last five games coming into this series opener.
- Minnesota took two of three games from the Tampa Bay Rays in their last series.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop | Line |
|---|---|---|
| Carson Kelly | Home Runs | O 0.5 (+600) |
| Shota Imanaga | Strikeouts | O 4.5 (-150) |
| Shota Imanaga | Outs Recorded | O 17.5 (-120) |
Betting Trends & H2H
- This is the first game of a three-game regular-season series between these teams.
- Chicago is 24-20 on the road. Minnesota is 24-18 at home.
- Cubs games have gone over the total 56.6% of the time this season. That is the highest percentage of overs in the majors this year.
Cubs vs Twins Model Projection
Score Projection: Cubs 5 – Twins 4
Win Probability: Cubs 54%, Twins 46%
Final Thoughts
The Chicago Cubs have a significant advantage in this series opener in Minneapolis. Shota Imanaga is pitching well and shouldn’t have trouble outperforming Woods Richardson. Even if Woods Richardson does keep this game close early, Chicago’s bullpen advantage should help them take over late. I will take the Cubs to win this game on the moneyline and I don’t mind laying the runline with them as a favorite either.
Jay Sanin is a sports bettor, writer and broadcaster from New York. He is an avid New York Knicks fan and is no longer ashamed to admit it. He is also an avid New York Giants fan, and is very ashamed to admit it. His top sports to handicap are the NBA, WNBA and men’s tennis for some reason. He has watched more UAlbany Great Danes basketball than anyone should consume.
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- Source: https://ats.io/mlb/chicago-cubs-vs-minnesota-twins-prediction-7-8-2025/437624/