The Chicago Cubs host the Colorado Rockies on May 27, 2025. First pitch from Wrigley Field is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. ET; the game will be broadcast on COLR.
The Rockies continued their historically awful start to the season in Monday's series opener, as Jameson Taillon threw six strong innings and earned his fourth win of the season.
Colorado is priced as +275 underdogs in the second matchup of the series, as veteran righty German Marquez (7.66 ERA, 47 IP) will attempt to earn his second win of the season versus talented youngster Cade Horton (4.40 ERA, 14 1/3 IP).
Find my MLB betting preview and Rockies vs Cubs prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
My Rockies vs Cubs Prediction
- Rockies vs Cubs picks: Cade Horton to Record a Win -110 (bet365, Play to -120)
My Rockies vs Cubs best bet is Cade Horton to record a win. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Rockies vs Cubs Odds
| Rockies Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -135 | 7.5 -110o / -110u | +260 |
| Cubs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 +110 | 7.5 -110o / -110u | -325 |
Rockies vs Cubs Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP German Marquez (COL) | Stat | RHP Cade Horton (CHC) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-7 | W-L | 2-0 |
| 0.5 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | -0.1 |
| 7.66/4.47 | ERA /xERA | 4.40/3.37 |
| 4.47/5.13 | FIP / xFIP | 5.23/4.50 |
| 1.68 | WHIP | 1.40 |
| 3.7% | K-BB% | 11.1% |
| 41.7% | GB% | 45.8% |
| 89 | Stuff+ | 97 |
| 94 | Location+ | 99 |
Nick Martin’s Rockies vs Cubs Preview
Colorado Rockies Betting Preview: Struggling Amid Key Player Absences
The Rockies have already been swept in eight series this season and hold an average run differential of -3.26 throughout their first 54 matchups.
Colorado holds a record of 18-36 against the run line this season, with a -30.8% ROI in those matchups. Those who have kept it square and simply continue to fade the Rockies have been well compensated.
Marquez's underlying results suggest he's pitching at a far higher level than his current 7.66 ERA indicates, even if he still appears to be a well-below-average starter. He holds an xERA of 4.47, an xFIP of 5.13 and a K-BB% of 3.7 this season. He holds a career-worst Pitching+ rating of just 87 compared to last season's mark of 95.
Marquez has fared horribly on the road this season, and his ugly ERA isn't simply because his home starts come at baseball's most batter-friendly stadium. He holds an ERA of 11.12 in 22 2/3 innings of work on the road this season and has allowed a 2.03 WHIP.
Two key bats will remain missing from what was always likely to be one of the league's worst lineups, as Kris Bryant and Thairo Estrada are still on the IL. The Rockies hold a league-worst wRC+ rating of 66 this season and have slugged just .359 despite half their games being at Coors Field.
They rank last in wRC+ versus right-handed pitching and also rank last in BB/K ratio versus righties.
Chicago Cubs Betting Preview: Horton Impresses in MLB Debut
Horton earned an MLB call up with a dominant 1.24 ERA in 29 innings of work in Triple-A this season. He's had a strong start to his big-league career, with a 2-0 record and 4.39 ERA across 14 1/3 innings of work.
He had the best start of his career last Wednesday in Miami, allowing only one earned run across six innings of work.
Horton's underlying profile is solid, as he's allowed an xERA of 3.37 and an xFIP of 4.50 in his first three big league appearances. His four-pitch mix grades out fairly well, as he holds a Stuff+ rating of 97 and a Pitching+ rating of 97.
Thanks to incredible starts from Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker, the Cubs' offense has been significantly deeper than last season and has been one of the best in the league. They rank fourth in wRC+ versus right-handed pitching and have averaged the most runs per game in the league.
Rockies vs Cubs Prediction, Betting Analysis
This appears to be a good spot to continue fading the Rockies, as Marquez looks to be a well-below-average arm and will likely struggle to keep the Cubs' high-powered offense in check.
Horton earned his call-up due to his incredible work in Triple-A this season and appears to be settling in nicely at the big league level.
He's managed to work through five innings in each of his last two outings, earning two wins, and has a great opportunity to leave in line for another win in this soft matchup.
At -110, there's value in backing Horton to record the win, as he should be able to have a solid outing versus a borderline Triple-A lineup should receive plenty of run support.
Pick: Cade Horton to Record a Win -110 (bet365, Play to -120)
