The Chicago Cubs look to earn a swift series victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
The pregame narrative: Chicago enters tonight’s action in fine form while Los Angeles can’t say the same. Michael Busch has been a driving force behind the team’s recent success, making him a nice pick to top his bases prop.
Check out my Cubs vs. Angels SGP predictions for Aug. 23, featuring a Cade Horton prop.
Cubs vs. Angels predictions
Parlay: Cubs ML | Busch over 1.5 total bases | Horton under 5.5 strikeouts (+380)
Cubs moneyline (-150): Fading Victor Mederos is at the centre of this pick.
The Angels’ righty hasn’t done very well in his limited action this season. He enters today’s game with a 5.54 ERA and a 6.35 FIP across four appearances.
His command has been a major issue. Mederos has issued three walks and a home run in a pair of starts.
He really struggled his last time out in a 4-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, surrendering nine hits in just five innings.
The Angels as a whole aren’t playing great ball, either. They’ve dropped five of their last seven, scoring more than three runs just twice during this stretch.
Chicago, meanwhile, has won six of its last eight (including three against the red-hot Milwaukee Brewers).
MLB SGP legs
Busch over 1.5 total bases (+102): Busch is usually a solid choice to mash against right-handed pitching.
He’s batting .277 versus righties compared to .262 overall, but it’s his power that has my attention.
Twenty-two of Busch’s 24 home runs this year have come versus right-handed pitching. His .539 SLG against righties is noticeably higher than his season-long mark of .494.
Busch has topped this number in two of his last five games, totalling eight bases during this stretch.
Opposing hitters have earned a hearty .970 OPS versus Mederos this season, setting Busch up to mash on Saturday night.
Horton under 5.5 strikeouts (-182): Although I do like the Cubs to win, I’m skeptical of Horton racking up six-plus strikeouts.
Firstly, this isn’t a mark he clears often. Horton has totalled five Ks or fewer in 13 of his 17 appearances this season (76.4%).
He’s not an elite strikeout arm by any means, owning a 29th percentile K rate this year, per Baseball Savant.
The Angels lead MLB in strikeouts per game (9.80), but I’m still dubious of Horton pitching deep enough into this game to get near this total.
Horton hasn’t pitched six-plus innings in any of his four August starts.
Cubs vs. Angels predictions made at 1:03 p.m. ET on 08/23/2025.
Stevie’s an avid NFL, NHL, and tennis bettor who has no problem talking himself into the underdog. His previous stops include Yahoo! Sports Canada and Toronto Metropolitan University, where he received a degree in Sport Media.