Chi. Cubs vs Oakland Athletics Picks and Predictions September 17th 2024

The Athletics and Cubs will face off in an interleague matchup at 7:40 PM ET at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL. Oakland is 65-86, putting them 4th in the AL West, while the Cubs are 77-73 and are currently on a 2-game winning streak.

Chicago is the heavy money line favorite for Tuesday’s matchup, with their odds sitting at -165 compared to the Athletics at +139. The over/under line is sitting at 8 runs, and NSPCA will be televising this one.

Oakland vs. Chicago Key Information

• Teams: Athletics at Cubs
• Where: Wrigley Field Chicago
• Date: Tuesday, September 17th
• Betting Odds CHC -165 | OAK +139 O/U 8

The Athletics Can Win If…

Mitch Spence gets the start for the Athletics today as he faces the Cubs on the road. So far this season, he has made 21 starts and 32 total appearances. Spence’s record for the year is 7-9, and he comes in with an ERA of 4.33. Looking at his numbers, Spence has a WHIP of 1.35 and has issued just 2.69 walks per nine innings compared to 7.41 strikeouts. He has turned in four quality starts and is coming off an outing in which he gave up two earned runs in seven innings of work. In that outing, he gave up one homer.

The Athletics offense has been one of the league’s best home run-hitting teams this season, but they have struggled to score runs consistently, as they are just 26th in the league at 4 runs per game. As a team, they are batting just .235 and are also near the bottom of the league in strikeouts. However, they do have a few players on some nice hitting streaks right now.

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. He has also been hot of late, going 15/44 with three homers in his last 10 games. Rooker also comes into the game on a seven-game hitting streak. Catcher Shea Langeliers is just batting .217 for the season but is on a streak of his own, as he has homered in four straight games.

• The Athletics are 4-6 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Athletics are 1-4 vs. the run line.
• Oakland has an over/under record of 6-4 in their last ten games.
• The Athletics have an average of 3.2 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Athletics are 4-6
• Looking back across the Athletics last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
• Oakland has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Athletics have averaged 4.0 runs per game on offense

The Cubs Can Win If…

Chicago is sending left-hander Jordan Wicks to the mound today vs. the Athletics. He has made nine starts and one of them was a quality start. Wicks’ record for the season is 2-3, and his ERA is 5.27. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, giving up seven earned runs in three innings of work. Before that, he had won two straight starts. Wicks’ ERA on the road is 7.19 compared to 3.06 at home.

Chicago comes into the game as one of the league’s top home run-hitting teams, as they are 16th in the league in home runs and have the 12th best team slugging percentage in the league. Overall, they are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 12th in the league. The Cubs have been even better on the road, averaging 5.1 runs per game.

Michael Busch and Seiya Suzuki are tied for 2nd on the team with 20 home runs, with Ian Happ leading the Cubs with 23 homers. Happ also leads the team with 83 RBIs. Over his last seven games, Busch is 11/27 with four homers, while Isaac Paredes is 13/26 in that stretch.

• The Cubs are 5-5 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Cubs are 2-3 vs. the run line.
• Chicago has an over/under record of 6-4 in their last ten games.
• The Cubs have an average of 6.6 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Cubs are 7-3
• Looking back across the Cubs last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
• Chicago has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Cubs have averaged 8.0 runs per game on offense

Chicago Cubs Seek to Extend Offensive Hot Streak Against Oakland Athletics

The Chicago Cubs are riding a wave of offensive success and will look to extend their hot streak as they face the Oakland Athletics in the second game of their three-game series on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. After a 9-2 win in the series opener, the Cubs have now scored five or more runs in seven consecutive games, averaging seven runs per game during this impressive stretch.

Chicago’s offense, which struggled mightily just a week ago—being shut out in three of five games—has found new life. On Monday, the Cubs jumped out to an early lead, scoring all nine of their runs in the first four innings. They racked up 18 hits, the second-highest total in a single game for them this season.

Key Performers Fuel Cubs’ Surge

In the series opener, Seiya Suzuki, Miguel Amaya, and Isaac Paredes each collected three hits, while Dansby Swanson broke the game wide open with a three-run homer during a five-run second inning. The Cubs’ offense has been critical in helping them secure back-to-back wins following a brief three-game losing streak. This offensive surge is a crucial factor as the Cubs push to stay in the playoff race.

Jordan Wicks on the Mound for Chicago

Taking the mound for the Cubs will be Jordan Wicks (2-3, 5.27 ERA), a 25-year-old left-hander who will make his 10th start of the season. Wicks is looking to rebound after a rough outing in his last start, where he allowed seven runs on eight hits over just three innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tuesday’s game will mark Wicks’ first career start against the Athletics. The Cubs will hope that Wicks can stabilize the rotation and deliver a solid performance to keep their momentum alive.

Oakland Athletics Continue to Struggle

The Oakland Athletics are facing tough times, losing three straight games and four of their last five. In Monday’s game, starter Joey Estes was knocked out early, surrendering six runs on nine hits in just over one inning. The A’s will look to snap their losing streak, though their recent form has been inconsistent at best.

One bright spot for Oakland has been Brent Rooker, who continues to be a force in their lineup. Rooker hit his 38th home run of the season in the series opener and has now homered in three of his last five games. In addition to leading the team in home runs, Rooker tops the A’s in RBIs, hits, and batting average. Over his last six games, Rooker has driven in 10 runs, and Oakland will look to him for more offense as they try to turn their season around.

Mitch Spence Takes the Mound for Oakland

The Athletics will send Mitch Spence (7-9, 4.33 ERA) to the mound on Tuesday. Spence is coming off one of his best starts of the season, having allowed just two runs over seven innings in a no-decision against the Houston Astros last Thursday. Like Wicks, this will be Spence’s first career start against the Cubs.

Historical Advantage for Cubs

The Cubs have historically dominated this matchup, winning nine of their last 10 games against the Athletics dating back to 2016. With both teams currently trending in opposite directions—Chicago pushing for the playoffs and Oakland winding down a difficult season—the Cubs are hoping to keep their winning streak alive.

What’s at Stake

For the Cubs, maintaining their offensive firepower is critical as they continue to fight for a spot in the postseason. Jordan Wicks will be key as Chicago seeks consistency from their starting rotation. Meanwhile, the Athletics will aim to halt their slide and salvage a win in the series with Mitch Spence on the mound.

As the Cubs look to continue their hot streak, the Athletics will be hoping to spoil their momentum and pick up a much-needed victory.

The Lean

For a money line pick, we are leaning towards the Cubs to come out on top at home vs. the Athletics. And as for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over. This is projected to be the 5th highest-scoring game of the day, but the 5th lowest in terms of hits. Chicago starter Jordan Wicks has the 7th best strikeout projection among today’s starters.