Chi. Cubs Cubs vs Oakland Athletics Picks and Predictions September 16th 2024

Chicago comes into this one with the Athletics on a two-game losing streak, as they are 76-73 overall. The Cubs are favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -197, while the Athletics are at +165. This interleague matchup has an over/under line of 8 runs, and NSPCA will be televising the game.

First pitch from Wrigley Field is set for 7:40 PM ET, and the forecast for Monday’s matchup calls for scattered clouds and temperatures in the mid-80s. Joey Estes is starting for the Athletics, and he is facing off against Shota Imanaga. Imanaga is 4-2 with a 3.98 ERA.

Oakland vs. Chicago Key Information

Right-hander Joey Estes gets the start for the Athletics today as he faces the Cubs on the road. He has made 21 starts this season and has a record of 7-7 with an ERA of 4.36. Estes’ WHIP for the season is currently 1.13. In his last outing, he pitched well, going 6 2/3 innings and giving up just two earned runs. He picked up the win in that start. Looking back over his last four outings, Estes has given up two earned runs or fewer in three of them. Opponents are batting .242 off Estes this season.

So far this season, the Athletics are 26th in the league in runs per game, averaging 4 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting just .234, which is the 20th best mark in the MLB. However, they do have the 6th most home runs in the league and have the 10th best isolated power figure in the league. Brent Rooker has been a bright spot for the team, as his 37 homers is 5th in the league and his 107 RBIs is 3rd best in the MLB.

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Rooker has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 9/30 in his last seven games, with two homers and eight RBIs. Zack Gelof has also been hitting the ball well, going 11/28 in his last seven games. Rooker comes into the game on a six-game hitting streak, with Miguel Andujar also on a five-game streak.

Shota Imanaga gets the start for the Cubs today and is coming off a strong outing against the Dodgers. In that September 10th start, he went seven innings, giving up three earned runs and picking up the win. Looking back further, Imanaga has picked up the win in four straight starts. His record for the season is 13-3, and he has an ERA of 3.03. Opponents are batting .222 off Imanaga this season. Out of his 27 starts, he has turned in 17 quality starts and is averaging 8.93 strikeouts per nine innings.

Heading into today’s game, the Cubs are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 13th in the league. They have been even better on the road this season, averaging 5.1 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .241, which is 15th in the league. Chicago has been good at avoiding strikeouts this season and are also 6th in the league in walks.

Over his last five games, Michael Busch is 7/18 with three homers and eight RBIs. This has pushed his season average to .257, and he is 2nd on the team with 20 homers. Ian Happ is the team’s top power threat, with 23 homers this season, and his 82 RBIs are the best mark on the team. Seiya Suzuki is also near the top of the Cubs’ home run leaderboard, with 20 homers and is batting .275.

Our lean for a money-line pick in this Cubs vs. Athletics matchup is to take the Athletics to come out on top. We also have this as the 4th highest-scoring game of the day and would lean towards taking the over. These teams have the lowest combined hits projection in the league today, and 5th lowest home runs projection. Shota Imanaga has the 2nd best strikeout projection among today’s starters.

Cubs, A’s Open Series with Futures at Front of Mind

Both the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics head into their three-game interleague series on Monday night with their sights set on the future, however for various reasons. The Cubs (76-73) still have a remote possibility to make the postseason yet face a daunting struggle as they sit five games behind the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves in the National League wild-card race.

Regardless of dropping three straight games before Sunday’s 6-2 triumph over the Colorado Rockies, the not entirely settled to remain in the chase. Freshman Michael Busch controlled the Cubs’ offense with two grand slams, while Pete Crow-Armstrong likewise added a long ball in the triumph.

However Chicago left 16 men on base, the offense tracked down an adequate number of opportune hits to get the success.

“We left a small farming village in central Illinois of runners on base,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell joked. “But we played good offense. We were missing the next hit, but in the ninth, to get those extra (three) runs, certainly was a big deal.”

The Cubs went 3-3 on their recent six-game road trip and scored 40 runs during that stretch. They’ll hope to bring that offensive production back home as they begin a seven-game homestand with Monday’s game against the A’s.

Shota Imanaga Takes the Mound

Chicago will send left-hander Shota Imanaga (13-3, 3.03 ERA) to the mound in the series opener. Imanaga has been on a roll recently, going 4-0 with a 2.67 ERA in his past four starts. He is coming off a strong performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers last Tuesday, where he allowed three runs on seven hits over seven innings to earn the win.

Monday’s game will be Imanaga’s first career appearance against Oakland, but the Cubs will rely on his recent form to keep them in contention for a wild-card spot.

A’s Focusing on Development

While the Cubs still cling to postseason aspirations, the Oakland Athletics (65-85) are out of the playoff picture and have shifted their focus to building for the future. After dropping two of three games to the Chicago White Sox over the weekend, the A’s are simply looking to finish the season on a positive note.

Oakland lost 4-3 on Sunday to the White Sox, a team that leads the majors with 115 losses, underscoring the A’s struggles this season. However, manager Mark Kotsay is optimistic about the team’s potential moving forward, highlighting individual performances as bright spots in an otherwise tough season.

One of the standout players for Oakland has been Brent Rooker, who hit his 37th home run of the season on Sunday. Rooker is batting .301 with 107 RBIs, all career highs. His impressive season has even put him in the conversation for a Silver Slugger Award, according to Kotsay.

“He continues to impress,” Kotsay said. “I think you’ve got to include this guy in the Silver Slugger conversation with that.”

Joey Estes Looks to Build on Recent Success

The Athletics will counter Imanaga with rookie right-hander Joey Estes (7-7, 4.36 ERA) in Monday’s game. Estes is coming off a solid performance against the Houston Astros last Wednesday, where he allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings, earning the win.

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Like Imanaga, Estes will be facing his opponent for the first time, making this matchup between two promising young pitchers an intriguing one for both teams.

Rare Visit to Wrigley Field

The A’s haven’t visited the Cubs at Wrigley Field since August 2019, adding an extraordinary component to this interleague series. While Oakland is centered around assessing youthful ability and working toward 2025, the Cubs actually have any expectations of a late-season flood.

With a seven-game homestand ahead, the Cubs should proceed with areas of strength for them play in the event that they desire to remain in the postseason race. With respect to the A’s, they’ll hope to complete the season on a high note while giving important experience to their young roster.