Chicago comes into this one with the Athletics as the heavy favorites on the money line, with their odds sitting at -166 compared to the Cubs at +141. This interleague matchup has a first pitch set for 2:20 PM ET from Wrigley Field in Chicago, and the forecast calls for clear skies and temperatures in the mid-70s.
Wednesday's starting pitching matchup features Brady Basso for the Athletics and Justin Steele for the Cubs. Oakland is currently 4th in the AL West, while the Cubs are 2nd in the NL Central. The over/under line is at 7.5 runs, and MLBN is carrying this game on TV.
Oakland vs. Chicago Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Athletics at Cubs
- Where: Wrigley Field Chicago
- Date: Wednesday, September 18th
- Betting Odds CHC -166 | OAK +141 O/U 7.5
Athletics vs Cubs Last Game Recap
Oakland rallied for three runs in the 9th inning in the most recent game of this A's vs Cubs series. The A's scored two runs in the 1st inning but didn't score another run until putting up three in the top of the 9th, picking up a 4-3 win. Heading into the game, the A's were at +132 on the money line.
Chicago wasted a good outing from Jordan Wicks, as he gave up just two earned runs in five innings of work for the Cubs. Wicks finished the game with three homers allowed and took the loss. As a team, the Cubs had just two more hits than the A's in the game.
Mitch Spence got the win for the A's out of the bullpen, while Mason Miller got the save. Offensively, Shea Langeliers and Lawrence Butler each homered for the A's, while Tyler Nevin scored two runs and drove in a run while going 2/4.
Athletics Preview
As underdogs, the A's have been a good bet on the run line, going 76-57, but as favorites, they have struggled, with a 7-12 record. Their average run margin in winning games is +3.2, while in losing games, it's -3.6. This season, A's games have averaged 8.7 runs, and their over/under record is 71-79.
In the AL West, Oakland is in 4th place with a 66-86 record, 16.5 games behind the Astros. Their overall series record is 18-25-5, and their straight-up road record is 29-45. The A's are 4-6 in their last 10 games and have a 36-39 home record.
Brady Basso will be making his third start of the season for the Oakland A's, and he has yet to allow an earned run. In his first start of the season, he went 6 innings and gave up 3 hits and 1 home run, and then in his last outing, he went 5 1/3 innings and struck out 2. So far, he has 8 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings pitched.
As a team, the Athletics are 26th in the league in scoring, averaging 4 runs per game. However, they do have the 5th most home runs in the league and are batting a combined .235. Oakland's offense has been better at home this season, averaging 4.1 runs per game.
Designated hitter Brent Rooker has been a bright spot for the Athletics this season, as he is batting .302 with a team-high 38 home runs and 109 RBIs. Rooker has also been hot of late, going 9/25 with three homers over his last six games. Catcher Shea Langeliers has struggled this season, hitting just .220 and is batting only .150 in his last six games.
Cubs Preview
Chicago's overall series record is 21-24-3, and they have dropped two straight series at home. The Cubs are 10 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central with a 77-74 record. They are 21-28 against divisional opponents this season.
On the run line, the Cubs have a 46-32 record on the road but are 28-45 at home. Their average run total per game is 8.8, and the over/under record for their games is 71-75. When the O/U line is 7.5 runs, their record is 17-16, with 70.2% of their games having higher total lines.
Justin Steele gets the start for the Cubs today and is coming off a solid outing vs. the Pirates. In that August 27th start, he went 5 innings, picking up the win and giving up 2 earned runs. Looking back further, Steele has given up 2 earned runs in three straight outings. The left-hander has a record of 5-5 this season and an ERA of 3.09. Opponents are batting .214 this season vs. Steele. Overall, he has made 22 starts, 11 of which were quality starts. Steele's ERA at home is 3.39 compared to 3.3 on the road.
So far this season, the Cubs offense is averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 12th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road, averaging 5.1 runs per game compared to 4.1 runs per game at home. As a team, the Cubs are batting .243, which is 11th in the league, and have the 15th most home runs in the league.
Over the past six games, Ian Happ has been on a tear, going 10/28 (.357) with two homers and four RBIs. For the season, he leads the Cubs with 25 homers and 85 RBIs. Michael Busch has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 8/20 with three homers and nine RBIs in his last six games. Seiya Suzuki is also near the top of the Cubs home run leaderboard, with 20 homers, and is batting .278 for the season.
Athletics vs. Cubs Prediction: Over 7.5 Runs -103
Our predicted score for this one is a 5-4 win for the Cubs, so if you're looking to take a money line, the Cubs at -166 is a solid pick. However, we actually like the over in this one, with the line sitting at 7.5 runs. We have the Cubs winning 5-4, giving you a little bit of wiggle room with the over/under line.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Justin Steele finishing with seven strikeouts compared to Brady Basso with six. If you're looking for a player prop, Steele is a good option. As for Basso, we have him going six innings, and if you're looking for a win-loss prediction, he comes in at 15th among starters.
