Dodgers vs. Cubs Prediction, MLB Picks for Wednesday, August 5 

The Los Angeles Dodgers (69-45) and Chicago Cubs (65-49) finish their three-game series at 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, August 5. The Cubs are home favorites, and a win would return a 1.75 payout, per PrizePicks.

The Cubs have taken the first two games of this series and will look to complete the sweep on Wednesday afternoon. On Tuesday night, Chicago spoiled the debut of L.A.'s prized deadline acquisition, Tarik Skubal, with a 5-1 victory.

While the Dodgers still have one of the best records in baseball, they’ve lost seven of their last nine games and five in a row.

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

Make your Dodgers vs. Cubs picks and predictions on PrizePicks now.

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Dodgers vs. Cubs Prediction, Winner Payout, Over/Under – Wednesday, August 5

We’ll see a pair of lefties take the mound on Wednesday, as Dodgers SP Eric Lauer and Cubs SP Shota Imanaga are scheduled to start.

After struggling to a 6.69 ERA with the Toronto Blue Jays to begin the season, Lauer was acquired by the Dodgers in May and has since posted a stellar 2.96 ERA over 51.2 innings. 

While that’s great for Los Angeles, the southpaw’s underlying numbers haven’t been much better in Dodger blue, as evidenced by a 5.01 SIERA and 14.7% strikeout rate. Likely unsustainable marks in BABIP (.195) and strand rate (89.4%) point to Lauer perhaps being more lucky than good since the change in teams.

Lauer has also struggled with the long ball, and while his HR/9 has gone from 2.72 with the Blue Jays to 1.57 with the Dodgers, it’s still a glaring concern.

Meanwhile, Imanaga’s 3.67 ERA over 22 starts is easier to buy into, as it’s supported by a solid 3.72 xERA, 23.3% strikeout rate, and 5.7% walk rate. 

Per Baseball Savant, Imanaga has limited hard contact with a 35.1% hard-hit rate (72nd percentile). However, his 9.5% barrel rate (19th percentile) and 38.7% ground-ball rate (28th percentile) have also contributed to a home run issue, as he's allowed 1.69 HR/9. 

Still, Imanaga’s overall profile looks much less shaky compared to Lauer’s.

Offensively, the Cubs and Dodgers have been two of the best at the plate, with Chicago averaging the second-most runs per game (5.13) and Los Angeles averaging the third-most (5.11). The Dodgers lead the league in wRC+ (113) while the Cubs rank third (110), per FanGraphs.

Both teams rate highly in xwOBA, too, as Los Angeles ranks first (.342), and Chicago is seventh (.322). 

Dodgers vs. Cubs Winner Payout, Over/Under – Wednesday, August 5

The Cubs enter Wednesday’s game as a home favorite against the Dodgers, returning a 1.75x payout if they win outright, via PrizePicks Team Picks.

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

Make your Dodgers vs. Cubs prediction on the winner or over/under on PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money — available in 36 states!

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

Dodgers vs. Cubs Prediction on Winner – 8/5/26

Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Dodgers vs. Cubs prediction on the winner for Wednesday, August 5.

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• Lauer sits in the eighth percentile or worse in strikeout rate (15.3%), barrel rate (11.2%), and ground ball rate (32.9%). This has contributed to him allowing 2.05 HR/9 between the Blue Jays and Dodgers in 2026. 
• While Lauer’s 4.71 xERA doesn’t look quite as bad as his 5.20 SIERA, it still sits in the 27th percentile.
• Following a tough stretch in late May and early June, Imanaga has since allowed 2 earned runs or fewer in eight of his last nine starts.
• The Cubs boast a league-best 121 wRC+ against left-handed pitching. They also own the fifth-best ISO (.175) and fifth-best walk rate (10.7%) in the split. 
• In contrast, the Dodgers have put up a 105 wRC+ against lefties.
• Since the All-Star break, Chicago’s bullpen has produced the eighth-best xERA (3.41), whereas L.A. ranks 29th (5.09).

Dodgers vs. Cubs Picks, Player Stats for PrizePicks: 8/5/26

Here are the top Dodgers vs. Cubs picks to target on Wednesday, August 5. Today’s MLB picks for PrizePicks include Eric Lauer and Nico Hoerner.

Dodgers SP Eric Lauer vs. Cubs: 3.5 Strikeouts

• Outside of a 9-strikeout performance in his season debut, Lauer has struggled to generate strikeouts. He's otherwise topped out at 5 Ks twice, recording 4 or fewer in 14 of his other 17 appearances.
• Lauer has failed to exceed 3 strikeouts in three of his last five starts.
• The southpaw is likely to face as many as seven right-handed batters in today’s lineup. He’s posted a 13.3% strikeout rate against righties compared to a 22.5% clip against lefties.
• As noted earlier, Lauer appears to be a regression candidate due to his worrisome underlying metrics, and the Cubs are perhaps the league’s toughest team on southpaws. That combination could lead to an early exit on Wednesday. 

Add Erin Lauer to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

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Cubs 2B Nico Hoerner vs. Dodgers: 5.5 Fantasy Score

• Hoerner is incredibly difficult to strike out, possessing an 8.7% K-rate (99th percentile) and 12.3% whiff rate (97th percentile). That’s helped him to a .298 xBA (97th percentile).
• Over his career, the right-handed batter has produced a 119 wRC+ when he has the platoon advantage. His 113 wRC+ in the split this season falls in line with that historical success.
• Hoerner has gotten off to a great start to the second half, recording a .412 wOBA and .153 ISO since the All-Star break.
• The second baseman doesn’t possess a ton of power, but he’s a threat on the basepaths, swiping 17 bags. He’s tallied 3 stolen bases over his last eight games.

Add Nico Hoerner to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

Make Dodgers vs. Cubs Picks on PrizePicks

The Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves in a rare slump as they look to avoid their second straight series sweep. Can they get a game back against the Chicago Cubs?

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

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