MLB matchup analysis
Cubs vs Red Sox (Game 2) Prediction, Odds and Model Pick
Friday, September 25, 2026 at Fenway Park · 5:35 PM ET
Leo decision: Pass on Cubs vs Red Sox
The case for Boston Red Sox
The case for Chicago Cubs
Why it is not official
Why the setup score is what it is
Why the price is what it is
Read the full model output
The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.
Final result
Cubs 0, Red Sox 2
How the analysis held up
Boston Red Sox won, the side Leo's model favored.
Brayan Bello (Boston Red Sox), the starter Leo's pitcher score favored, actually outpitched David Peterson: 4.0 IP, 0 ER (0.00 ERA) against 5.0 IP, 0 ER (0.00 ERA). The edge held up. Both starters were sharp; the edge is a narrow one between two good outings.
The Boston Red Sox bullpen was not flagged pregame, but it had a night worth noting: 0 earned runs allowed over 5.0 relief innings (0.00 ERA) — quietly better than the pregame read implied.
Game information
| Matchup | Chicago Cubs at Boston Red Sox |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday, September 25, 2026 |
| First pitch | 5:35 PM ET |
| Venue | Fenway Park |
| Starting pitchers | David Peterson vs Brayan Bello |
| Weather | Game-time forecast: 62°F, 22% precipitation chance, 11 mph wind from N. |
Starting pitcher matchup
Full Pitcher Matchup Tool →| Metric | Cubs | Red Sox |
|---|---|---|
| Pitching plan | Traditional starter | Traditional starter |
| Expected innings | 5 | 4⅔ |
| Throws | L | R |
| Leo pitcher score (higher is better) | 53 | 60 |
| ERA (lower is better) | 4.79 | 4.33 |
| WHIP (lower is better) | 1.50 | 1.37 |
| K/9 (higher is better) | 8.3 | 7.1 |
| K-BB% (higher is better) | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| K% (higher is better) | 20.7% | 18.3% |
| BB% (lower is better) | 9.8% | 7.2% |
| BB/9 (lower is better) | 3.9 | 2.8 |
| HR/9 (lower is better) | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Ground-ball rate | 59.7% | 62.0% |
| Fly-ball rate | 40.3% | 38.0% |
Pitcher edge: Leo gives Brayan Bello a 7-point edge over David Peterson, driven mainly by BB/9 (2.8 vs 3.9) and WHIP (1.37 vs 1.50).
How to read this: the scorecards above name the starters; every number lives in this table.
Strikeout Projections Full strikeout projections →
Same data source as the Pitcher Matchup Tool, where every starter on the slate is compared side by side.
Recent form
Full Stats page →Cubs are 5-5 in their last 10 and averaging 4.9 runs per game over the last 15 days; Red Sox are 4-6 in their last 10 and averaging 2.5 runs per game over the last 15 days. On the season Cubs carry the better run differential per game (+0.89 against +0.51).
| Metric | Cubs | Red Sox |
|---|---|---|
| Last 10 | 5-5 | 4-6 |
| Last 10 by venue (away team on the road, home team at home) | 3-7 on the road | 5-5 at home |
| OPS, last 15 days | 0.767 | 0.638 |
| wOBA, last 15 days (hot/cold read) | 0.335 | 0.286 |
| Runs per game, last 15 days | 4.9 | 2.5 |
| K% last 15 days (lower is better) | 17.7% | 24.8% |
Last 15 days only. Hot and cold streaks for all 30 teams live on the Stats page.
30-day offense
Full offense tool →| Last 30 days | Cubs | Red Sox |
|---|---|---|
| OPS | 0.783 (+0.018 vs szn) | 0.655 (-0.062 vs szn) |
| Runs per game | 5.32 (+0.079 vs szn) | 3.00 (-1.267 vs szn) |
| wOBA (model offense input) | 0.343 | 0.293 (-0.024 vs szn) |
| K% (lower is better) | 18.4% (-2.7% vs szn) | 23.6% (+1.9% vs szn) |
Over the last 30 days the Cubs have been the better offense, 0.343 wOBA to 0.293.
Season profile
Full Stats page →| Metric | Cubs | Red Sox |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 88-72 | 86-74 |
| Run differential / game (team quality) | +0.89 | +0.51 |
| Runs scored / game (offense, season) | 5.24 | 4.27 |
| Runs allowed / game (defense, season, lower better) | 4.35 | 3.76 |
| Season OPS | 0.768 | 0.719 |
| K% season (lower is better) | 21.1% | 21.7% |
| OPS vs opposing hand (season) | 0.759 | 0.735 |
Season-long team quality, not recent form. Run differential and run environment come from the season standings; splits for all 30 teams live on the Stats page, including the run environment table.
The Map
Full interactive map →Every team on today's slate, on any two axes you pick. Cubs and Red Sox are highlighted.
Bullpen matchup
Full Bullpen Fatigue Index →Risk is what the model actually uses: fatigue blended with how well the pen has pitched. High fatigue with high efficiency is a tired pen that is still getting outs.
| Metric | Cubs | Red Sox |
|---|---|---|
| Fatigue | 5.7/10, Normal | 4.8/10, Normal |
| Efficiency | 6.0/10, Effective | 6.9/10, Effective |
| Combined risk | 5.2/10, Normal | 3.9/10, Normal |
| Relief innings, last 7 days | 22.0 | 15.3 |
| Back-to-back arms | 3 | 3 |
| 7-day ERA | 2.86 | 1.17 |
| 7-day WHIP | 1.14 | 1.24 |
Fatigue measures workload. Efficiency measures recent run prevention. Combined risk is what the moneyline and totals systems use.
Run total projection
Full Totals Projections →The model projects 1.7 runs above the market total. A research lean still requires a setup rating of at least 7.0/10. Team totals remain research-only until their graded sample is established.
More games today
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