Chicago Cubs vs Houston Astros Picks and Predictions May 21st 2026

Cubs host Astros with both sides searching for a spark

The Chicago Cubs hope a day off at home will allow them to reset mentally before they host the Houston Astros in the opener of a three-game series on Friday.

The Cubs have lost five in a row and nine of 11 following a 27-12 start that had them atop the National League Central.

Now, the Milwaukee Brewers lead the division after completing a three-game sweep of Chicago with a 5-0 victory on Wednesday evening at Wrigley Field.

“We’re in a funk right now and it’s up to us to change it,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.

Leading the decline has been center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who’s hitting .108 in the past 11 games with one extra-base hit.

A base hit by Brewers No. 9 hitter David Hamilton rolled under Crow-Armstrong’s glove in the second inning on Wednesday with runners on first and second, allowing all three runners to score for an early 3-0 lead.

Crow-Armstrong, who signed a six-year, $115 million contract extension in March, also dropped a fairly routine fly ball in the 5-2 loss on Tuesday.

“The dropped fly ball, I don’t really think … today’s an easier play to me,” Counsell replied when asked about the plays. “He just messed up. He got his feet kind of caught in between, and then he didn’t know if he wanted to go get it. It’s like an infielder who got caught on an in-between hop. Things happen, and we’ve got to move on from them.”

The Astros hope to do a better job of controlling the strike zone when they visit the Cubs.

Houston has combined for just six runs in the past four games and lost three of those contests to fall 11 games under .500.

“We’re just not really forcing them to give us pitches to hit,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “We need to start controlling at-bats and the outcome of our at-bats.”

Houston has been without second baseman Jose Altuve, who was placed on the injured list last weekend with an oblique strain.

Earlier this month, it was announced infielder Carlos Correa would undergo season-ending surgery for a torn tendon in his left ankle.

Their absences have taken a bite out of Houston’s offensive capabilities, but it shouldn’t affect their approach, Espada said.

“You go through stretches during the season where you kind of lose your identity of who you are as an offensive club,” Espada said. “We have to highlight a few things, make those adjustments and get more quality at-bats back to back.”

Right-hander Spencer Arrighetti is set to start the series opener for Houston.

Arrighetti (5-1, 1.50 ERA ) has been one of the best performers for the Astros this season. He’s won five of his first six starts, most recently allowing one hit over 7 1/3 shutout innings in a 2-0 win against the Texas Rangers on May 15.

Arrighetti lost his first four MLB starts two years ago. He made his only career appearance against the Cubs in the third game in that sequence, giving up four runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings of the 4-3 loss in Chicago.

Right-hander Jameson Taillon is penciled in to start on Friday for the Cubs.

Taillon (2-3, 4.97) is coming off his worst performance of the season, allowing eight runs and eight hits in five innings of an 8-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox lat Saturday.

Taillon has made six MLB starts against the Astros, going 1-2 with a 4.41 ERA.

–Field Level Media