Barstool Bush
Predictions

Minnesota Twins at Chicago Cubs

By Bush StaffUpdated 34d ago·2 min read
Minnesota TwinsMIN(49-49)
Chicago CubsCHC(54-43)
2—6
FINAL
123456789RHE
MIN
010000100280
CHC
12200010—6110

First pitch went off at 1:20 PM CT with Matthew Boyd (5-1, 4.15 ERA) on the bump for Chicago against Taj Bradley (9-3, 3.85), who came in as arguably Minnesota's steadiest arm all season after a 7-inning, 2-run outing against the Angels his last time out.

Show fees
FINAL
Spread
ML
Total
Twins(49-49)
WWWLL
2
Cubs(54-43)
LWWLL
6
Best BetCubs -147
Postgame

Hit — Chicago won outright 6-2, exactly the lineup-depth case we made.

Pregame

We took the Cubs on the moneyline at -145 and it paid off comfortably as Chicago's lineup jumped Bradley early and Boyd cruised. Minnesota's rotation depth is genuinely compromised behind its top arms, and that showed up the moment Bradley left runners on. Chicago's deeper everyday lineup was the difference-maker outright.

Minnesota was already shorthanded walking in. Royce Lewis was out of Saturday's lineup entirely, and All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton has been parked on the 10-day IL with a hip issue since early July. Chicago wasn't at full strength either — its bullpen has been gutted by injuries all summer, leaving manager Craig Counsell threading the needle with a patchwork relief corps.

Minnesota Twins
Taj Bradley
(9-4)·3.65 ERA
Jul 12 vs Angels
W
7.0IP
2ER
6K
2BB
99P
07/18 Lineup
Chicago Cubs
Matthew Boyd
(6-1)·3.41 ERA
Jul 12 @ Reds
W
6.1IP
4ER
3K
1BB
92P
07/18 Lineup

Both clubs came in treading water in different ways — Minnesota fighting to stay at .500, Chicago trying to hold its cushion in a crowded NL. Neither team had much margin for a bad week, which made this getaway-day matinee more consequential than a midsummer interleague game usually gets.

Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
(49-49)
Jul 18W@ Cubs5-2
Jul 12Wvs Angels4-2
Jul 11Wvs Angels5-3
Jul 11Lvs Angels3-4
Jul 9Lvs Guardians2-5
Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
(54-43)
Jul 18Lvs Twins2-5
Jul 12W@ Reds8-4
Jul 11W@ Reds5-3
Jul 10L@ Reds0-4
Jul 9L@ Orioles2-3

Chicago didn't wait around. Michael Busch opened the scoring with a solo shot in the first, and after Kody Clemens tied it with a homer of his own in the second, the Cubs strung together a two-run second and a two-run third to make it 5-1 before Bradley even got through four. Bradley was charged with 5 runs over 5 innings and took the loss, while Boyd worked around a Clemens homer to go 6 innings on just 1 run allowed.

Clemens added a two-run shot in the 7th to put it away, and the Cubs cruised from there. It's the kind of complete-game offensive showing this lineup needed — Seiya Suzuki has been the engine of that group for weeks now, stepping into the void left by Kyle Tucker's departure and doing it well enough that the loss of a superstar hasn't been the disaster some expected.

Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
(10)
  • Day-To-DayRoyce Lewis (3B) — Lewis isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Cubs.07/18
  • 10-Day-ILByron Buxton (CF) — The Twins placed Buxton (hip) on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com reports.07/07
  • 15-Day-ILAnthony Banda (RP) — Banda underwent surgery to repair his left lat strain and will miss the remainder of the 2026 season, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.07/09
  • 15-Day-ILConnor Prielipp (SP) — Prielipp did not factor into the decision Wednesday against the Twins, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out six.07/09
  • 15-Day-ILMarco Raya (RP) — The Twins placed Raya on the 15-day injured list Wednesday due to a right shoulder impingement.07/08
  • 15-Day-ILCole Sands (RP) — Sands (forearm) tossed a perfect inning in his rehab appearance with Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday.07/08
  • 60-Day-ILGarrett Acton (RP) — Acton (shoulder) struck out a batter and allowed three earned runs on one hit and three walks over two-thirds of an inning in a rehab appearance Tuesday in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.07/15
  • 60-Day-ILMick Abel (SP) — Abel (elbow) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Friday.07/14
  • 60-Day-ILDavid Festa (SP) — The Twins announced June 1 that Festa (shoulder) has started a throwing progression, MLB.com reports.06/11
  • 60-Day-ILPablo Lopez (SP) — The Twins placed Lopez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.05/08
Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
(14)
  • 10-Day-ILMatt Shaw (RF) — Shaw is still feeling discomfort related to his left hand sprain and has yet to resume swinging a bat, Vinnie Duber of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.07/18
  • 15-Day-ILEthan Roberts (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said July 8 that Roberts (forearm) completed a bullpen session, MLB.com reports.07/18
  • 15-Day-ILDaniel Palencia (RP) — Manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Palencia (elbow) is hopeful to return to the Cubs' bullpen in mid-August, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.07/18
  • 15-Day-ILEdward Cabrera (SP) — Manager Craig Counsell said Friday that the Cubs expect Cabrera (hamstring) to return from the injured list in the second week of August, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.07/18
  • 15-Day-ILHoby Milner (RP) — Manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Milner (abdomen) will likely return from the injured list sometime around Aug. 1, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.07/18
  • 15-Day-ILJameson Taillon (SP) — Manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Taillon (hamstring) will return from the injured list during the Cubs' upcoming series against the Tigers, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.07/18
  • 15-Day-ILBen Brown (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Thursday that Brown has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his neck and will have limited activity for the next month, 104.3 The Score reports.06/25
  • 15-Day-ILRiley Martin (RP) — The Cubs announced June 10 that Martin (elbow) has resumed playing catch, MLB.com reports.06/22
  • 60-Day-ILJustin Steele (SP) — Steele (elbow) was cleared to begin ramping up his throwing program Tuesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.07/08
  • 60-Day-ILHunter Harvey (RP) — The Cubs moved Harvey (triceps) from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL on Sunday.05/17
  • 60-Day-ILPorter Hodge (RP) — The Cubs transferred Hodge (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILShelby Miller (RP) — The Cubs placed Miller (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Sunday.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILCade Horton (SP) — The Cubs transferred Horton (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILTyler Austin (1B) — The Cubs placed Austin (knee) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08

The split series is a fair encapsulation of both clubs right now — Minnesota can still beat you with pitching and timely power, but the pitching depth chart is thin enough that one bad afternoon from a starter costs them. Chicago has the deeper lineup and just enough length in the rotation to win series like this one, bullpen questions and all.

Sources

MLBMinnesota TwinsChicago CubsPolymarketKalshiTaj BradleyMatthew Boyd
Cubs Bury Bradley Early, Blast Twins 6-2 at Wrigley | Polymarket Odds · Barstool Bush