Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Picks and Prediction for Tuesday August 4 2026

The Los Angeles Dodgers will visit the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. The opening pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. ET, with television coverage available through TBS, SportsNet LA, and Marquee Sports Network. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Readers searching for additional analysis across Tuesday’s schedule can also check out our free MLB picks.

Starting Pitchers

Tarik Skubal is expected to make his Dodgers debut after joining Los Angeles at the trade deadline. The left-hander enters Tuesday with a 7-5 record, a 2.79 ERA, and 116 strikeouts this season. Chicago is expected to counter with Javier Assad, who owns a 6-1 record, a 3.75 ERA, and 48 strikeouts. Assad has produced an excellent record, but Skubal’s lower ERA and considerably higher strikeout total give Los Angeles the statistical advantage in this starting-pitching matchup.

Los Angeles Sends Its New Ace into a Difficult Environment

The Dodgers enter Tuesday with a 69-43 overall record after going 2-3 across their final five completed games before Monday. Los Angeles concluded its series against Seattle with consecutive victories but then suffered a three-game home sweep against Boston. The Dodgers lost those contests by scores of 9-4, 3-2, and 8-4, ending the weekend with their first home sweep at the hands of the Red Sox since 2010.

Los Angeles is batting .262 as a team while averaging approximately 5.1 runs per game. The Dodgers have hit 143 home runs and scored 572 runs through their first 112 games. Their pitching staff has been even more impressive, recording a 3.63 ERA while allowing only 422 runs. That combination has produced a plus-150 scoring differential, one of the strongest marks in baseball.

The primary concern is a pitching staff that allowed 20 runs during the Boston series. Los Angeles surrendered four home runs in Sunday’s defeat, including three during the third inning. Skubal’s arrival could not have come at a better time for a club looking to restore stability to its rotation. His ability to generate strikeouts and limit runs should give the Dodgers an opportunity to quiet Chicago’s lineup, although making his first start for a new team at Wrigley Field presents a demanding assignment.

Chicago Looks to Protect Its Strong Home Record

The Cubs enter Tuesday with a 63-49 overall record, including a 31-24 mark at Wrigley Field. Chicago went 2-3 across its final five games before Monday and concluded the weekend with a narrow 2-1 loss to the New York Yankees. The Cubs created several opportunities in that defeat but could not produce the tying run, continuing a stretch in which the offense struggled to turn baserunners into consistent scoring.

Chicago is batting .247 while averaging approximately 5.1 runs per game. The Cubs have scored 570 runs, hit 135 home runs, and stolen 80 bases. Their speed provides an additional offensive dimension, but their 4.09 team ERA trails Los Angeles considerably. Chicago has allowed 481 runs this season, producing a still-strong plus-89 scoring differential.

The Cubs’ greatest advantage is their ability to remain competitive at home. They have won 31 of their 55 games at Wrigley Field and enter the series holding a leading position in the National League wild-card race. Assad has also won six of his seven decisions, giving Chicago a starter who has consistently placed the club in position to succeed. However, the Cubs batted only .186 across their final five games before Monday. That recent decline becomes particularly concerning against a pitcher carrying a 2.79 ERA.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Picks and Prediction

Pick:

• Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5

I am taking Los Angeles on the run line because Skubal gives the Dodgers a meaningful advantage in the starting matchup. His 2.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts are considerably stronger than Assad’s 3.75 ERA and 48 strikeouts. Chicago has the home-field advantage and owns a respectable 31-24 record at Wrigley Field, but the Cubs’ recent offensive struggles make this a difficult matchup against an elite strikeout pitcher. Los Angeles also owns the better overall record, team ERA, and scoring differential. I would play Dodgers -1.5 at plus money.

Pick:

• Under 8.5

I am leaning under if the total is set at 8.5 runs. Chicago batted only .186 over its final five games before Monday and scored just one run in Sunday’s loss. Skubal should be capable of limiting the Cubs, while Assad’s 6-1 record suggests Chicago can remain competitive during the early innings. The Dodgers allowed 20 runs during their weekend sweep, but their season-long 3.63 ERA remains considerably more representative of their overall pitching quality. Under 8.5 provides enough room for a final score in the range of 5-3 or 4-2.

This game preview was written before game play on Monday.