Review Betting Odds and Picks for Cubs vs Athletics – Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Chicago Cubs

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Athletics

As the Chicago Cubs prepare to face the Oakland Athletics at Sutter Health Park on April 2, 2025, the stakes are particularly intriguing given the Cubs’ recent success. The Cubs won their last matchup against the Athletics 7-4 on April 1, maintaining a competitive .500 record at 4-4. In contrast, the Athletics are struggling, sitting at 2-4 and looking to break out of a rough start to the season.

On the mound, the Athletics will feature Jeffrey Springs, who has been lights out in his debut, boasting a 0.00 ERA and a solid 42.9% strikeout rate, making him the 64th best starting pitcher in MLB according to advanced Power Rankings. Springs faced the Cubs earlier this year, and while he is projected to allow 2.3 earned runs today, he has exhibited the ability to dominate even against potent offenses.

The Cubs will counter with Jameson Taillon, who has had a tough start to the season, carrying an ERA of 12.46. Recent projections suggest he may improve after a rocky outing where he allowed 6 earned runs over just 4 innings pitched. Given the Cubs’ high-strikeout offense that has accumulated the most strikeouts in MLB, they might find it difficult to exploit Springs’s weaknesses.

Offensively, the Athletics rank 31st in the league, citing significant concerns despite hitting home runs at a solid clip (9th overall). Meanwhile, the Cubs rank 17th in overall offense but excel in power with the 5th best home run tally in the league. Both teams feature talent at the plate, but the Cubs’ batting depth may give them the edge.

As the Athletics aim to turn their fortunes, this matchup presents an opportunity against a vulnerable pitcher. The game total is set at 8.5 runs, and with the betting markets favoring the Athletics slightly at -120, a close contest is anticipated.

Chicago Cubs Insights

• Jameson Taillon – Over/Under 4.5 Strikeouts (+110/-140)
  Jameson Taillon’s 92.2-mph fastball velocity since the start of last season ranks in the 22nd percentile out of all starters.
  Explain: Velocity is a key component to fastball success in generating strikeouts and preventing runs.
• Kyle Tucker – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+125/-160)
  Kyle Tucker has made substantial gains with his Barrel%, improving his 12.9% rate last year to 30.3% this season.
  Explain: Barrel% measures how often a player hits the ball at the optimal exit velocity and launch angle and is a terrific measure of underlying power.
• The Chicago Cubs (20.9 K% (via the leading projection system, THE BAT X) project to have the 5th-least strikeout-prone group of hitters of all teams today.
  Explain: THE BAT X analyzes each player in today’s specific lineup to figure out which teams have the least inherent strikeout potential for the opposing pitcher.

Athletics Insights

• Athletics – 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline (-135)
  Jeffrey Springs is an extreme flyball pitcher (35.7% FB% via the leading projection system, THE BAT) and will be disadvantaged pitching in the #7 HR venue among all parks in this matchup.
  Explain: This pitcher’s skill set does not match up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.
• Seth Brown – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+140/-180)
  The Chicago Cubs have just 1 same-handed RP in their bullpen, so Seth Brown has a strong chance of never losing the platoon advantage against the ‘pen all game.
  Explain: Hitters perform worse against pitchers of the same handedness (i.e. righty-vs-righty), and being able to avoid those matchups against the bullpen boosts performance and creates hidden edge.
• Athletics – 2H Moneyline
  The Athletics bullpen projects as the 10th-best in the majors, via the leading projection system (THE BAT).
  Explain: Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a strong bullpen sneakily creates a tougher matchup for the opposing offense and suppresses a game’s runs.

Betting Trends

• Athletics – Moneyline (-120)
  The Athletics have hit the Moneyline in 40 of their last 81 games (+6.90 Units / 8% ROI)
• Chicago Cubs – Moneyline (+100)
  The Chicago Cubs have hit the Moneyline in 23 of their last 38 away games (+10.10 Units / 22% ROI)
• Dansby Swanson – Over/Under 0.5 Home Runs (+640/-1300)
  Dansby Swanson has hit the Home Runs Over in 2 of his last 3 games (+10.30 Units / 343% ROI)