Brewers vs. Cubs Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight's MLB Game

A key NL Central battle begins tonight when the Brewers and Cubs renew hostilities at Wrigley Field.

Sean Tomlinson

Last Updated: June 17, 2025 4:51 PM EDT • 3 minute read

A key NL Central clash starts tonight at 8:05 p.m. ET from Wrigley Field in Chicago, and we're examining it with our Brewers vs. Cubs predictions.

The Cubs (44-28) come into the matchup with a 5.5-game lead over the division-rival Brewers (39-34). They've also earned the second-best record in the National League and sit sixth in the World Series odds.

That strength is also why the Cubs are favored in today's MLB odds, but Milwaukee might have an advantage.

Brewers vs Cubs prediction

My Brewers vs Cubs best bet: Rhys Hoskins Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs (+105 via BetMGM)

The Cubs will roll with righty Ben Brown to start on the mound tonight, and he's been limping along to the tune of a 5.71 ERA. That's largely been a product of both poor control and repeated laser-beam contact allowed.

Brown's 92-mph average exit velocity given up sits in the bottom 4% leaguewide. In addition to that loud contact and damage, he also gives up plenty of traffic on the base paths. His 10.3 hits per nine innings is well above the current league average of 8.3 this season, contributing to him being demolished for six-plus earned runs in three of his last five outings.

That all bodes well for Rhys Hoskins and this combo prop as one of our MLB picks tonight. Hoskins is frequently putting quality swings on the ball, with his launch-angle sweet spot rate that sits in the 93rd percentile. He's cooled in June, but Hoskins isn't far removed from a sizzling May when he hit six homers while posting an .877 OPS. Brown can help return him to that form.

Brewers vs Cubs same-game parlay (SGP)

Brewers ML (+135)
Rhys Hoskins Over 0.5 total bases (-153)
Chad Patrick Over 4.5 strikeouts (-111)

+625 via BetMGM

The wayward command and frequently noisy contact from Brown are again central to this SPG, as is the matchup that suits Hoskins well.

Then there's Chad Patrick, the rookie who's been impressive throughout his debut season, and especially recently while averaging 6.6 strikeouts across his last five starts.

Brewers vs Cubs odds

Brewers vs Cubs live odds

View matchup | View all MLB odds

Brewers vs Cubs opening odds

Moneyline: Brewers (+125) | Cubs (-149)
Run line: Brewers +1.5 (-175) | Cubs -1.5 (+145)
Over/Under: Over 9 (-102) | Under 9 (-149)

Brewers vs Cubs trend

The Cubs boast an MLB-best plus-105 run differential, but five of their last seven games have been one-run affairs.

Brewers vs Cubs betting insights

Here's the line movement from BetMGM in the hours leading up to first pitch.

There's an even split in the action on the total at 8.5, with both the Over and Under drawing 50% of the attention
The Cubs are drawing 60% of the action on the moneyline

How to watch Brewers vs Cubs and game info

Location	Wrigley Field, Chicago
Date	June 17, 2025
First pitch	8:05 p.m. ET
TV	MLBTV, FanDuel Sports Wisconsin, Marquee Sports Network
Brewers starting pitcher	Chad Patrick (3-6, 3.25 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher	Ben Brown (3-5, 5.71 ERA)

Brewers vs Cubs latest injuries

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Written by:
Sean Tomlinson

Sean Tomlinson has been in the sports media wilderness since 2009, and he joined Sportsbook Review in 2021. His work has been referenced in The New York Times and Forbes. He's also made appearances on The Fan 590 and TSN 1050. Sean is a regular bettor who places bets daily while using a handful of books. Most frequently, he uses FanDuel and bet365 due to the quality experience on those apps. While he'll often take an analytical approach, Sean enjoys the fun, recreational side of betting too, and embraces alternative markets on events like the Westminster Dog Show or Eurovision, or the many novelty props tied annually to the Super Bowl, for example. Beyond sports, Sean is also interested in the betting markets tied to politics, and especially those connected to American elections. He sees betting as a way to explore and engage in a deeper way, and takes that same view to his work. He plays poker periodically too, and is an avid fantasy sports player. Sean also previously spent time with Bleacher Report and theScore, all after earning his media studies degree from the University of Guelph-Humber.