Chicago Cubs vs Oakland Athletics Prediction, 4/18/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Oakland Athletics

Date: Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Location: Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-180) Oakland (+155)

The Oakland Athletics (3-13) will go up against the Chicago Cubs (8-6) at Oakland Coliseum on Tuesday. The moneyline on this contest has the Cubs at -180 and the Athletics are priced at +155. The over/under comes in at 7.5. The pitchers expected to start will be Marcus Stroman and Ken Waldichuk.

As a team, the Chicago Cubs are scoring 5.2 runs per game, which puts them at 7th in baseball. They have 73 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .336. The Cubs have accumulated 21 doubles as a unit and have knocked 18 baseballs out of the park. They have accrued 70 RBI's in addition to 133 base knocks on the year, while their batting average is sitting at .274. Chicago is slugging .429 and have struck out 120 times, while being walked on 44 occasions.

Get all of our Free MLB Picks

They have earned a K/BB ratio of 2.92 and their pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.21. Cubs pitchers have conceded 12 long balls in addition to 57 runs in total (5th in MLB). Chicago has relinquished 104 base hits (7.5 per 9 innings) and 50 earned runs. The Cubs have compiled a team earned run average of 3.58 this year (7th in baseball), and they have rung up 140 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 48 opposing players and their FIP comes in at 3.60 as a unit so far this year.

Cubs pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on 7 times in addition to having 11 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have racked up 10 holds so far this year (12th in the league). The Cubs relievers have a save rate of 40.0% and has entered the game in 15 save situations. They have 2 saves so far this season and have blown 3 of 5 save opportunities. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 12 base runners for the year with 25.0% of them crossed the plate. The Cubs have sent 44 relief pitchers to the mound on the campaign.

The Cubs have converted 69.9% of balls hit into play into outs out of 1,131 innings on the diamond, which has them ranked 11th in professional baseball. The Chicago Cubs have a tally of 377 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 127 assists and 8 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .984 which has them ranked 19th in the majors, and they have twisted 8 double plays.

Stroman has taken the mound for 1,185 frames and has racked up 992 strikeouts so far in his MLB career. His ERA is 3.58 (471 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.248. He has allowed 1,147 base hits (8.7 hits per nine innings) with 332 walks. Stroman (69-68 career mark) has a FIP of 3.62 while he has faced 4,919 batters in the major leagues.

The Athletics hold a slugging % of .370 and they score 3.88 runs per outing (26th in MLB). They have hit 23 two-baggers, while taking a walk 54 times and putting up 62 runs. Oakland has hit 16 long balls for the season as well as 61 RBIs. They have been rung up on 143 occasions (13th in the league) and have earned 127 hits. The Oakland Athletics have tallied an OBP of .313 as well as a batting average of .235 on the season.

The Oakland pitching staff have surrendered 125 runs so far this season while having a team ERA of 7.60 (119 earned runs conceded). They have allowed 31 dingers and they yield 7.98 runs per 9 innings (30th in the league). The Athletics are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.674 in addition to having a FIP of 6.74 as a staff so far this year. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 7.10 (111 strikeouts vs 86 bases on balls). They sit at 28th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 150.

Sitting with 8 save situations, the Athletics have earned 2 holds and also 4 blown saves. Oakland has had relief pitchers take the mound in 5 save chances and they have recorded 1 save. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 21 times in high leverage situations in addition to 20 occasions with runners on base. Oakland relievers have an inherited score rate of 46.9% out of their 32 inherited runners. They are currently ranked 30th in the league with a save percentage of 20.0%, and they have sent 55 bullpen pitchers to the mound this year.

The Oakland Athletics have gotten 12 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .980 (26th in pro baseball). The Athletics have racked up 117 assists, 11 errors and have earned 423 putouts for the year. In 1,269 innings on the diamond, the Athletics hold a defensive efficiency of 69.9% (9th in MLB).

So far in his pro baseball career, Waldichuk has allowed 54 base knocks while earning 44 strikeouts in 49 innings. He has given up 36 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.430 and a FIP of 5.9. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.59 and he has gone up against 219 opposing batters so far in his career. Waldichuk (2-4 career win-loss record) has earned a 6.52 earned run average while conceding 9.8 hits per nine innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Oakland (+155)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here