Astros vs. Cubs Prediction, MLB Picks for Sunday, May 24

First pitch for the matchup between the Houston Astros (22-31) and the Chicago Cubs (29-23) is set for 2:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 24, with the Cubs returning a 1.56x payout with a win via PrizePicks Team Picks.

It’s been all Astros in this series, as Houston has won both games. A brutal stretch has plagued the Cubs, seeing them lose seven games in a row and 11 of 13. That includes five consecutive series as they try to salvage a victory in this one on Sunday.

Below, we'll break down our Astros vs. Cubs prediction and picks for Sunday’s MLB matchup, including the run line, over/under, and key player picks for PrizePicks.

Make your Astros vs. Cubs prediction on PrizePicks for today’s game.

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Astros vs. Cubs Prediction, Winner Payout, Over/Under – Sunday, May 24

For this game, the Astros send SP Peter Lambert (3.87 xFIP across 6 starts and 35.1 IP) to the mound. Lambert returned to MLB in 2026 after spending the previous year in Japan, and that season away might have turned his arc around. His 3.47 xERA and 0.7 WAR are career bests. 

Although the Astros have looked good in this series, this season has been a struggle. Last year, they failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and they're currently on pace to finish with a record below .500 for the first time since 2014.

It’s been four years since Houston’s last World Series win, but core players from that championship like 36-year-old 2B Jose Altuve are at the tail end of their careers.

The Cubs counter with their ace SP Shota Imanaga (3.48 xFIP across 10 starts and 58.2 IP). This is a rare situation for Imanaga, as he's looking to rebound from a rough outing after allowing 8 earned runs in 4.1 innings against Milwaukee. Before that, he'd allowed 2 or fewer runs in seven of eight starts. 

This rough patch has cost Chicago its lead in the National League Central, going from 3.5 games up on May 9 to three games back now. Both aspects of this team are struggling; since May 9, the Cubs rank 28th in wOBA (.258) and xERA (5.09).

Astros vs. Cubs Winner Payout, Over/Under – Sunday, May 24

The Cubs enter Sunday’s game as home favorites against the Astros, returning a 1.56x payout if they win outright, via PrizePicks Team Picks.

Here are the full payouts for the Astros vs. Cubs game on PrizePicks.

• Spread: Chicago Cubs -1.5 (2.08x payout)
• Over/Under: 7.5 (2.04x payout on Over)
• Game Winner Payout: Astros 2.32x | Cubs 1.56x

Play the Astros vs. Cubs spread or over/under on PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money — available in 35 states!

Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.

Astros vs. Cubs Prediction on Spread – 5/24/26

Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Astros vs. Cubs prediction on the run line for Sunday, May 24.

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• The Cubs could be excited to have the left-handed Imanaga on the mound, as the Astros have a 7-10 record when their opponent starts a southpaw.
• Houston has recently struggled against left-handed pitching; since May 1, it's 23rd in wRC+ (80) and wOBA (.284).
• Of the eight Cubs that have at least 1 plate appearance against Lambert, only one (Ian Happ) has failed to reach base.
• Some of Chicago’s most notable hitters have been successful against Lambert, including 3B Alex Bregman and OF/DH Michael Conforto, each going 2-for-3 with 1 home run.
• The Astros' pitching staff ranks dead last in the league with a 5.11 xFIP on the road.
• Houston has one of the worst bullpens in baseball, sitting 30th of 30 clubs with a 5.62 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and 36 home runs allowed.

Astros vs. Cubs Picks, Player Stats for PrizePicks: 5/24/26

Here are the top Astros vs. Cubs picks to target on PrizePicks for Sunday, May 24. Today’s MLB picks for PrizePicks include Shota Imanaga and Yordan Alvarez.

Cubs SP Shota Imanaga vs. Astros: 5.5 Strikeouts

• The Cubs' Sunday starter has more than 5 strikeouts in 6 of 10 starts this season. 
• Imanaga’s 39.0% induced chase rate ranks in the 98th percentile. That could be trouble for the Astros, as their 31.1% chase rate is 21st in the league.
• The Astros’ 24.4% strikeout rate in May ranks 24th.
• Imanaga’s 26% strikeout rate and 9.4 K/9 are currently career bests.

Add Shota Imanaga to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

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Astros DH Yordan Alvarez vs. Cubs: 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI

• Alvarez is in the middle of a massive slump. After posting a .356 BA and 1.199 OPS in March and April, those numbers dropped to a .208 BA and .698 OPS in May.
• Imanaga, with one of the league's best chase rates, could impact Alvarez, whose 27.2% chase rate ranks in the 65th percentile.
• Alvarez has struggled to make an impact lately and has fallen short of this projection in six straight games.
• The Astros' DH continues to struggle outside of Houston, with only 4 hits in his last 41 at-bats on the road.
• Alvarez has 1 hit in 5 at-bats, has struck out twice in this series, and has historically struggled at Wrigley Field. According to Baseball Reference, Alvarez's .411 OPS and .167 BAbip at Wrigley rank second-to-last among the 34 ballparks he has played at in his MLB career.

Add Yordan Alvarez to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

Make Astros vs. Cubs Picks on PrizePicks

The Cubs are at a low point in the season, losing seven in a row and on the verge of being swept at home against the under .500 Astros. They look to their ace SP Shota Imanaga to salvage one game in this series and put them back in the win column.

Don’t wait until the first pitch happens — make your Astros vs. Cubs picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.

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Unless otherwise noted, data used in this article is from Baseball Savant or FanGraphs.