MLB Betting Picks – Oakland A’s at Chicago Cubs - August 5

One team will see its three-game winning streak come to an end when the Oakland A’s continue a stretch of games against the NL Central by taking on the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a three-game interleague series on Monday. A return to the friendly confines was just what the Cubs needed to move back on top of the division. They finished off a sweep of the Brewers on Sunday to move 1.5-games ahead of the Cardinals. Oakland did the Cubs a solid by sweeping a two-game set from St. Louis. The game will air live on ESPN with betting options for every game on the Monday MLB schedule available at BookMaker.eu.

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Oakland A’s at Chicago Cubs

Date and Time: Monday, August 5, 2019, 8:05 p.m. ET

Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL

Probable Pitchers: Chris Bassitt vs. Kyle Hendricks

Opening MLB Odds: Chicago -160, Oakland +140, O/U Check Back Later

A’s at Cubs TV Coverage: ESPN

Odds Analysis

Life in the big leagues isn’t fair. You can just ask the A’s about that. They have a better record than the Cubs, a better run differential and a better team ERA. However, they also play in a division with the World Series favorite and find themselves 8.5-games out of first place. The A’s finished off a nine-game homestand by winning six of the last seven and they actually lost ground in the standings. Oakland did keep pace with red-hot Tampa Bay and will look to improve on its 27-25 road record.

It’s a good thing the Cubs have the second-best home record in the NL or they’d be in serious trouble. It’s also nice that nobody wants to win the NL Central. A recent stretch that saw them lose seven of 10 games and fall out of first place ended when they faced Milwaukee over the weekend. Things fell into place upon their return home: the offense was reignited and the pitching was solid with Cubs outscoring Milwaukee 17-5. They’ve won 11 of their last 13 at home and trail only the Dodgers for the best home mark in the NL.

Probable Pitchers

Facing the Cubs for the first time in his career, Chris Bassitt ( 7-5, 3.84 ERA ) will look to continue a nice run since the All-Star break. He blanked the Brewers on three hits over 6.0 innings with six punchouts in his last start but didn’t factor in the decision. In four starts since the break Bassitt is 2-1 with a 2.35 ERA and a .202 BAA.

The righty has been extremely troublesome for lefthanded hitters, who are raking at a measly .187 against him this season. Overall his numbers are decent, but Bassitt has struggled on the road pitching to a 7.05 ERA over his last three starts. He has yet to win an interleague game in three decisions, but he does sport a 3.35 ERA in those outings.

It’s hard to argue against Kyle Hendricks ( 8-8, 3.07 ERA ) being the ace of the Cubs staff. He hasn’t allowed a run over 12.0 innings of his last two starts and delivered a vintage performance against St. Louis last time out. Hendricks scattered seven hits over 7.0 frames in a 2-0 win, breaking a streak of six straight losses in games he started.

Hendricks loves him some home cookin’ with a 1.89 ERA and .206 BAA in nine starts at Wrigley. He is 4-2 in those games and his record would be much better if his mates helped out. The Cubs have scored three runs or less in each of his last seven starts.

Key Stat

Not putting runners on base can help a pitching staff’s psyche as well as its ERA. And the Cubs have received some stellar outings from their starters. Yu Darvish kept a streak alive on Sunday by not walking a batter. The rotation has gone 34.2 innings since July 28 without issuing a free pass. Hendricks was part of that streak when added seven innings to the run in his last outing. Hendricks has also been one of the most efficient in MLB with only 25 walks in 120.1 innings pitched this season. “When you make the other team earn that trip down to first base, that’s wonderful to see,” Joe Maddon said.

Bet A’s at Cubs at BookMaker.eu

The Cubs are an entirely different team when playing at home and being in a tight race for the division makes the games more intense at this time of year. They got plenty of help from Oakland the last few days and they can’t afford to fall victim. Chicago’s home record is impressive and they’ll host the A’s for the first time since 2010. Playing in the shrine will have an effect on the young Oakland players and I fully expect Hendricks to be his efficient self in limiting the visitors chances.

MLB Score Prediction: Cubs 5, Athletics 2

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- Phil Simon, Gambling911.com Speical Contributor (This Article Courtesy of Bookmaker.eu)