Cubs vs Pirates Same-Game Parlay for May 26: Build Around Ashcraft’s Strikeout Dominance

If you are new to same-game parlays, here is the short version: a same-game parlay, often called an SGP, lets you combine multiple bets from a single game into one wager. Instead of betting on each outcome separately, you stack them together for a bigger combined payout. Tonight, the Cubs at Pirates game at PNC Park is the perfect sandbox for a three-leg SGP.

An SGP is riskier than a single bet because all legs need to hit for you to win, but when the legs support each other — meaning they are likely to happen together — the added risk is worthwhile. Tonight’s Cubs-Pirates game features correlated legs where the outcomes point in the same direction. Here is how to build it.

Leg 1: Brady Ashcraft Over 5.5 Strikeouts

We already know Ashcraft is one of the strongest strikeout plays on tonight’s board. He has a 9.38 K/9 rate, a 2.89 ERA, and has posted at least 26 batters faced in each of his last four starts. The Cubs lineup strikes out at a 21.4 percent rate against right-handed pitching in 2026, and PNC Park is ranked as an above-average strikeout environment tonight factoring in the umpire and weather conditions.

For an SGP, this leg is the anchor. Ashcraft going deep into this game with a high strikeout count actually makes the other legs in this parlay more likely to hit, because it signals he is dominating the game — which means Pittsburgh wins. This is what analysts call a correlated SGP: the legs are not independent, they reinforce each other. Ashcraft striking out seven or more Cubs batters probably means Pittsburgh wins, and it likely means the total stays manageable.

Check your book for current lines on this leg. Action Network writers have flagged this Ashcraft over multiple times today.

Leg 2: Pittsburgh Pirates to Win on the Moneyline

The Pirates enter tonight at 28-26 on the season, playing at home against a Cubs team that sits at 29-25. The moneyline has Pittsburgh as a modest underdog, but when you factor in that Ashcraft is the starting pitcher and the Cubs are sending a combination of Jameson Wicks and bullpen arms, the home team looks undervalued.

Wicks has minimal established track record at this level, and his presence as what appears to be an opener or spot starter means the Cubs are not rolling out an ace tonight. PNC Park has been a good venue for Pittsburgh this season, where the Pirates have covered the spread at a strong rate. As part of this SGP, the Pirates winning is directly correlated with Ashcraft dominating — they support each other perfectly.

The moneyline for Pittsburgh is available around +105 to +130 depending on the book. In an SGP context, that underdog value gets amplified when combined with the other two correlated legs.

Leg 3: Under 8.5 Total Runs

This is where the SGP comes together cleanly. If Ashcraft is racking up strikeouts and pitching deep into the game, it directly implies a low-scoring environment. The Cubs are also limited by their lineup producing against a healthy Ashcraft, and Wicks giving Pittsburgh a short-start situation means Pittsburgh sees relief arms early too.

The totals for this game have been set at 8 to 8.5, and the market has been leaning toward the under at -109 to -125 across major sportsbooks. A dominant Ashcraft start almost automatically cashes the under, and the Cubs lineup’s 21.4 percent strikeout rate is not built for a high-scoring blowout. All three legs point toward the same game flow: Ashcraft dominant, Pittsburgh wins a low-scoring game. That is exactly what a well-constructed SGP looks like.

The Full Parlay

Combined, these three legs create a parlay with strong internal correlation. All three outcomes are likely to happen together if Ashcraft pitches well, which is the scenario that props and pregame analysis supports. The combined odds will vary by book, but you can expect somewhere in the range of +250 to +350 depending on how your sportsbook prices the correlation penalty for same-game parlays.

For new bettors, this is a great introduction to how SGPs should be built: legs that support each other rather than independent coin flips stacked together. If you want to try this tonight, grab a FanDuel promo code or a DraftKings promo code and use your new-user bonus on this parlay. Check your book for the latest combined odds before placing.