The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs meet again at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, and the headline is a debut. Newly acquired left-hander Tarik Skubal makes his first start in Dodger blue, and Los Angeles sits as a clear road favorite at -208 on the moneyline. Yet the Cubs opened this series with a 10-5 win, and the betting market is quietly leaning their way. This preview digs into the pitching matchup, the line movement, and where the value hides on a night when the favorite may not be as safe as the price suggests.
Last Updated: Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs — Time & How to Watch
| Where | Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL |
| When | August 4, 2026 — 8:05 PM ET |
| TV | TBS, Marquee Sports Network, SportsNet LA |
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs Betting Preview
Everything starts with the arms. Skubal arrives as one of the most dominant starters in baseball, carrying a 2.79 ERA with 116 strikeouts over 96.2 innings. His July was especially loud, with a 2.03 ERA and 41 strikeouts across five starts and 31 innings. His strikeout-to-walk ratio sits above 8-to-1, the mark of a pitcher who misses bats and rarely beats himself. The catch is that this is his Dodgers debut. A new league, a new catcher, and a first look at National League lineups add a layer of uncertainty that a raw ERA does not capture.
Chicago counters with right-hander Javier Assad, who owns a 3.75 ERA but has worked as a swingman more than a workhorse. Across 18 appearances and nine starts he has thrown just 69.2 innings, and he has rarely pushed past five innings in his recent outings. With Kevin Gausman now in the fold, this may be one of Assad’s last turns in the rotation. A short leash on the Cubs’ starter means the bullpen could be in play early.
The bigger picture favors Los Angeles on paper. The Dodgers own baseball’s best team OPS and a lineup fronted by Shohei Ohtani, and they entered the night at 69-43, comfortably atop the National League West. The Cubs, at 63-49, sit second in the National League Central but remain one of the hotter teams in the league with the home crowd behind them. One matchup note looms large. Chicago has punished left-handed pitching all season, ranking among the very best offenses in baseball against lefties. Skubal is a left-hander, which makes this the one lineup built to test him. Los Angeles is also without injured starters Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, which is part of why the deadline addition mattered so much.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs Odds
| Run Line | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodgers | -1.5 (-130) | -208 | U 9 (-120) |
| Cubs | +1.5 (+110) | +169 | O 9 (+100) |
Odds accurate as of August 4, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest MLB Odds – Futures – Props
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs — Who Is the Public Betting?
| Dodgers | 74% | 26% | Cubs |
See the latest MLB Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
Dodgers vs. Cubs Prediction — Does the Home Dog Have Bite Against the Ace?
Start with what the market is telling us. Public bettors have hammered the Dodgers, with 84% of moneyline tickets and 74% of run-line tickets on Los Angeles. Normally that kind of one-sided action pushes a favorite’s price up. Instead, the Dodgers have drifted from -214 at the open to -208, and the Cubs have nudged from +174 to +169. When the crowd loads one side and the number creeps the other way, that is reverse line movement, and it usually points to sharper money on the quieter side. Here, that quieter side is the home underdog.
The baseball case backs it up. Chicago is one of the best lineups in the sport against left-handed pitching, and Skubal is a lefty making his first start in a new league. Even elite arms can labor in a debut, and if Skubal is on any kind of pitch limit, the game tilts toward the Cubs’ bullpen and a Chicago offense that just dropped 10 runs on Los Angeles a night earlier. Roughly a quarter of MLB games are decided by a single run, and the +1.5 cushion turns a narrow Cubs loss into a winning ticket while still paying plus money. The Cubs’ run-line price has actually improved from +105 to +110 since the open.
The case against is simple and real. Skubal is a difference-maker, and the Dodgers own the deepest lineup in baseball. If Skubal looks like himself and Los Angeles pulls away, a two-run road win is well within range and the run line loses. For how the series opener set up, see our Dodgers vs. Cubs prediction from Monday. This is a lean on a live home dog, not a knock on the favorite.
The Pick: Cubs Run Line +1.5 (+110)
Dodgers vs. Cubs Prediction — Will Skubal Set an Early Tone?
The total opened at 9 and has not budged, with the under shaded to -120. Skubal is the reason. A pitcher missing bats at his rate can shorten any lineup, and for the innings he is on the mound, run scoring should slow. If he works into the sixth or seventh, the Dodgers’ path to a low-scoring night is clear, and the market’s refusal to lift the number reflects that respect.
The over is very much alive, though, and honesty demands saying so. The Cubs are among the best teams in baseball against lefties, both bullpens have looked shaky, and Assad’s short outings could hand the middle innings to relievers on both sides. The series opener sailed past this same number. This is a lean that rides on Skubal setting the tone early rather than a firm conviction that the bats stay quiet all night.
The Pick: Under 9 (-120)
Final Thoughts and Bonus Angle
The swing factor is Skubal’s workload. If the Dodgers let their new ace run deep, both the Cubs’ run line and the under face a tougher road, because Los Angeles likely controls the game from the middle innings on. If Skubal is capped in his debut and the bullpens take over early, the value plays gain steam. Watch the Cubs’ first two trips through the order against him. That is where the best lineup against lefties either announces itself or goes quiet.
To recap the card for Tuesday night at Wrigley: the Cubs on the run line at +1.5 (+110) as a live home underdog with sharp money behind them, and the under 9 (-120) leaning on Skubal to control the early innings. Both are leans in a game that projects tight, not certainties. The Dodgers remain the better team on paper, so bet the value with that in mind.
MLB Dodgers vs. Cubs FAQ: Tuesday August 4, 2026
What time does the Dodgers vs. Cubs game start?
First pitch for Dodgers vs. Cubs is set for 8:05 p.m. ET (7:05 p.m. CT) on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at Wrigley Field in Chicago. It is the second game of a three-game series between the two clubs.
What channel is the Dodgers vs. Cubs game on?
The game airs nationally on TBS, with local coverage on Marquee Sports Network in the Chicago market and SportsNet LA in the Los Angeles market. Check your regional listings for the broadcast that applies in your area.
Who is pitching for the Dodgers tonight?
Left-hander Tarik Skubal starts for the Dodgers, making his team debut after a trade-deadline move. He brings a 2.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts over 96.2 innings this season, including a 2.03 ERA across five July starts. Javier Assad takes the ball for the Cubs.
Who won the last meeting between the Dodgers and Cubs?
The Cubs won the most recent meeting, taking the series opener 10-5 at Wrigley Field on Monday, August 3, 2026. Chicago’s offense broke through for double-digit runs and handed the Dodgers a loss in the first game of the set.