Cubs vs Astros Prediction, Best Bets, and Odds (5/16)

One of the biggest surprises of the first quarter of the MLB season has been Chicago Cubs pitcher Justin Steele. Tonight, Steele will look to improve to 7-0 as he faces the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park (8:10 pm ET, TBS).

The Cubs (19-22, 8-11 away) could use another outstanding effort from Steele following a 6-4 loss in last night's series opener in Houston. Chicago tied things up after giving up four runs in the first, but Alex Bregman's two-run homer in the seventh plated the decisive runs for the Astros (22-19, 9-11 home).

Will Steele help Chicago win for just the sixth time in 18 games? Or will Houston stay hot and pick up a sixth win in seven games? Read on for today's Cubs vs Astros prediction and best bets.

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Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros Odds

Moneyline

• Chicago Cubs +140
• Houston Astros -166

Over/Under

• Over 7.5 (-115)
• Under 7.5 (-105)

Run Line

• Chicago Cubs +1.5 (-152)
• Houston Astros -1.5 (+126)

Pitching Matchup for Cubs vs Astros

• Chicago Cubs: LHP Justin Steele (6-0, 1.82 ERA)
• Houston Astros: RHP Cristian Javier (3-1, 3.47 ERA)

Will Someone Finally Solve Steele?

Last season, Steele allowed three or fewer earned runs while pitching at least five innings in 15 of his 24 starts, including nine of his last ten starts of the season, on the way to finishing with a 3.18 ERA.

He has built off of that strong campaign and taken things to a different level thus far this season, and he has become a surprise entrant into the NL Cy Young Award conversation.

Entering today, he and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller, another surprise entrant into the race, sit at +2500 to win the NL Cy Young, which puts them sixth behind Zac Gallen, Spencer Strider, Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias, and Zack Wheeler.

The 27-year-old has been at his best at Wrigley Field, going 4-0 with a 1.48 ERA in five starts. But he has also been excellent on the road, going 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA. Steele has yet to allow more than three runs in a start, and he has gone at least six innings in all but one start.

Will he keep things rolling tonight in Houston? Wins have been hard to come by over the last few weeks for the Cubs, who have won only one of their last six series and are staring at yet another series loss.

But they are 6-2 in Steele's starts this season, and of their five wins (out of 14 games) in May, two have come in games started by Steele.

The Astros are warming up and will be looking to go four games over .500 for the first time all season, but they have won consecutive home games only twice thus far this season.

But they are 6-2 in Javier's starts this season, including a 3-1 mark in his starts at Minute Maid Park, accounting for a third of Houston's home wins to this point.

Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros Prediction and Best Bets

Prediction for Cubs vs Astros: Astros to win

Best Bets for Cubs vs Astros: Astros -1.5 & Astros team total over 4 runs

Only four of Houston's 22 wins this season have come by one run, and they have scored four or more runs in 20 of their 22 wins.

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