2019 MLB – Oakland Athletics @ Chicago Cubs Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Oakland Athletics @ Chicago Cubs taking place? Wednesday 7th August, 2019 – 19:20 (UK)
Where is Oakland Athletics @ Chicago Cubs taking place? Wrigley Field
What is the expected weather for Oakland Athletics @ Chicago Cubs? Partly cloudy, 29c
What television channel is Oakland Athletics @ Chicago Cubs on? BT Sport 1 in the UK / NBC Sports Chicago and NBC Sports California in the US
Where can I stream Oakland Athletics @ Chicago Cubs? BT Sport subscribers can stream the match live via the BT Sport website or app in the UK / NBC Sports Go, MLB.com and MLB.tv in the US
Where can I get tickets for Oakland Athletics @ Chicago Cubs? https://www.mlb.com/tickets/season-tickets
What was the outcome in the last meeting? Oakland Athletics 11 – 4 Chicago Cubs
THE TEAM NEWS
OAKLAND ATHLETICS
- The Athletics bounced back from Monday’s loss and now they own a 4-1 record in the last five games. Oakland has been pretty good of late and their 7-3 record puts them in a good position on the American League Wild Card Race down the stretch.
- None of the Athletics’ injured players will be back for this game, although catcher Josh Phegley and pitcher Sean Manaea could be back from the injured list in the coming days. Keep an eye on Marcus Semien ahead of this game, as the shortstop has hit for .368 with two home runs and a 1.342 OPS in his last five outings.
- Homer Bailey will start for the Athletics in this one. The 33-year-old veteran has an inflated 5.20 ERA in 22 starts this season, notching 101 strikeouts but also posting a 1.45 WHIP and a 9-7 record across 110.2 innings pitched. He took part in a no-decision in his last outing, where he allowed two runs in 6.0 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers.
CHICAGO CUBS
- Chicago’s loss the last time out ended the club’s four-game winning streak, but they have gone 4-1 in the last five contests. Their 6-4 record in their last ten games puts them in a good position going forward.
- The Cubs recovered Pedro Strop ahead of Tuesday’s game but they still have several players sidelined due to injury. Xavier Cedeno, Daniel Descalso, Brandon Kitzler, Brandon Morrow and Craig Kimbrel are some of the MLB regulars that will be out for the foreseeable future. Javier Baez might be top bat for the Cubs (28 home runs, 76 RBI) but Nick Castellanos has been a pleasant surprise in recent days with a .400/.423/.720 slash line in his first six games with Chicago.
- Jose Quintana will be the starter for the Cubs in this game. The Colombian hurler has started in 21 of his 22 appearances this season and currently owns a 4.40 ERA with a 9-7 mark, 103 strikeouts and a 1.35 WHIP in 122.2 innings pitched. He recorded a win the last time out against the Brewers, where he threw 6.0 innings and allowed just two runs.
THE PREDICTION
It is hard to see which team might come out on top ahead of this game as both teams are coming off good results over their past few weeks. This game might go down as a pitching duel and if that is the case, the Cubs own a slight edge. Therefore, Chicago could bounce back after Tuesday’s loss with a win on Wednesday in front of their own crowd.
