In the course of the MLB season, so much attention is placed on the rivalry which pits the Oakland Athletics against the Chicago Cubs at the beautiful Wrigley Field on this Tuesday resonating with cool weather. The Athletics have a poor showing with a record of 65-86 compared to the more balanced record of 77-73 for the Cubs. This collision, however, has an interesting potential. Fans and gamblers may want to seek premium expert advice because the game presents some kinds of complexities, in particular, due to the different development of these two teams.
Oakland Athletics vs. Chicago Cubs 9/17/24 Game Info and Odds |
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| When: | Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 7:40 PM ET |
| Where: | Wrigley Field |
| Watch: | NBCS-CA, ESPN, MLB.TV |
| Athletics odds: | +119 Moneyline |
| Cubs odds: | -141 Moneyline |
| Total Line: | 8.5 |
Oakland Athletics (65-86) vs. Chicago Cubs (77-73)
The Oakland season, however, has been insufficient due to the team’s erratic performances lately. Looking into the last five games they played, most of their games ended in losses, more particularly four, such as the recent 2-9 loss to the Cubs yesterday. The Athletics have shown some fighting spirit – the games against the White Sox were all lost but in less than a run. However, giving up too many leads in a 3-6 loss to the Astros indicates that the team struggles with the ability to win when it matters most.
| Oakland Athletics Last 5 Games | |||
| Date | Opponent | Score | SU |
| Sep 16, 2024 | CHC | 2-9 | Lose |
| Sep 15, 2024 | CHW | 3-4 | Lose |
| Sep 14, 2024 | CHW | 6-7 | Lose |
| Sep 13, 2024 | CHW | 2-0 | Win |
| Sep 12, 2024 | HOU | 3-6 | Lose |
On the other hand, the Cubs have appeared to be more consistent in recent times, recovering from two disappointing defeats against Colorado, by 5-6, and 5-9 respectively, and proceeding to win their subsequent matches. The comeback registered was then a massive 9-2 thrashing of Oakland which was followed by another 6-2 victory over Colorado to illustrate their current positive trend. The Cubs suffered an 8-0 upset against the Dodgers, but their ability to come back in tough situations will keep them in the postseason hunt.
| Chicago Cubs Last 5 Games | |||
| Date | Opponent | Score | SU |
| Sep 16, 2024 | OAK | 9-2 | Win |
| Sep 15, 2024 | COL | 6-2 | Win |
| Sep 14, 2024 | COL | 5-6 | Lose |
| Sep 13, 2024 | COL | 5-9 | Lose |
| Sep 11, 2024 | LAD | 8-10 | Lose |
Mitch Spence (7-9, 4.33 ERA) vs. Jordan Wicks (2-3, 5.27 ERA)
Mitch Spence has a losing record in his record, but he has been consistent with his ERA of 4.33 after getting 137.1 innings under his belt with 113 strikeouts to his credit. His results are enough to give Oakland an opportunity, but in such a situation, they may use Spence’s veteran grasp of the Cubs offense, so it does not appear essential. In regard to Spence, it will be crucial for him to keep track of the tempo in the contest and take care of free passes since his WHIP indicates that he tends to put a lot of people on base.
On the other hand, Jordan Wicks comes out with an ERA of 5.27, and his apparent inadequacy during this minimal innings limit this season is also noticeable. With a more level WHIP of 1.61 over just 41 innings, Wicks has proven to be much more hittable, giving up a higher ratio of hits and home runs. His problem battling the Athletics will be to implement momentary plays that will help him get more strikeouts despite his previous inability to avoid giving hard contact earlier in the game.
MLB Odds/Point Spread: Chicago Cubs -141, Total Odds: 8.5
The current betting odds lean slightly towards the Cubs, reflecting their home advantage and slightly better season performance. The total set at 8.5, with tendencies showing a bias towards the OVER, particularly in Oakland’s recent games, suggests an expectation of a higher-scoring affair.
Oakland Athletics Betting Trends
Oakland’s trend towards high-scoring games, with the total going OVER in 13 of their last 19, might intrigue bettors looking for an offensive display. However, their consistent losses, especially noted in their 1-4 SU in the last five games, highlight vulnerabilities that the Cubs could exploit.
Chicago Cubs Betting Trends
The Cubs show a similar pattern with the total going OVER in six of their last seven games, indicating their games tend to feature plenty of run-scoring. Their strong record at home against Oakland (5-1 SU in last six games) provides them a psychological edge which could be significant in this matchup.
Oakland Athletics vs. Chicago Cubs 9/17/24 Betting Picks
After studying the trends and analyzing the series comprehensively, the winning team at home will be the Cubs, who are in good shape and have a better past record than the Athletics. Cubs’ home Wrigley struggles, and Oakland’s road woes hint at a Cubs win.
Cubs fans can expect their team to cover the spread, and since the total is likely to go OVER, one may consider this match interesting. Analysis of prop bets for Cubs hitters may prove beneficial as well. This writer believes this game will have plenty of offensive production with the Cubs finishing on top at 6-3, as indicated throughout the free expert MLB preview.