Chicago Cubs vs Sacramento Athletics Prediction, 3/31/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs Sacramento Athletics

Date: Monday, March 31, 2025

Location: Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-152) Sacramento (+126)

The Sacramento Athletics (69-93 last season) will take on the Chicago Cubs (83-79 last year) at Sutter Health Park on Monday. The odds on this game have Chicago at -152 while Sacramento is priced at +126. The total has been set at 8. The starting pitchers are Ben Brown and Joey Estes.

As a unit, the Chicago Cubs scored 4.5 runs per game, which had them at 12th in the league. They earned a total of 736 runs scored while having a team on-base percentage of .317. The Cubs accounted for 253 two-baggers as a team and hit 170 baseballs out of the park. They recorded 696 RBI's and 1,318 base knocks over the course of last year, while their team batting average was at .242. Chicago had a slugging % of .393 and struck out 1,362 times, while taking a walk on 546 occasions.

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Their strikeout to walk ratio was at 2.78 and the pitching staff held a WHIP of 1.25. Cubs pitchers gave up 181 home runs in addition to 669 total runs (10th in the league). Chicago conceded 1,302 base hits (8.2 per 9 innings) and 602 earned runs. The Cubs finished with a team ERA of 3.78 in the prior season (10th in MLB), and their staff rung up 1,348 batters. They walked 485 opposing players and their FIP finished at 4.04 as a team over the course of last year.

Cubs relief pitchers went to the mound with players on base 141 times and also had 170 contests in high leverage situations. The bullpen recorded 80 holds over the course of the prior season (21st in MLB). The Cubs relief pitchers accumulated a save percentage of 59.4% and came into the game in 145 save situations. They compiled 38 saves for the prior year and did not convert 26 of their 64 save chances. The bullpen inherited 217 base runners in the previous season with 31.8% of them ended up crossing the plate. The Cubs dispatched 496 relief pitchers to the hill over the course of last year.

The Chicago Cubs amassed 4,297 putouts over the course of last year, in addition to 1,349 assists and 76 errors. Their fielding percentage finished at .987 which was 7th in pro baseball, and earned 91 double plays. The Cubs converted 70.5% of balls in play into outs out of their 12,891 innings, which ranked them 8th in baseball.

Brown has taken the mound for 55 innings and is sitting with 64 strikeouts so far in his pro baseball career. Brown (1-3 career record) sits with a FIP of 3.54 while facing 222 hitters during his time in the major leagues. His ERA is 3.59 (22 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.089. He has allowed 41 hits (6.7 hits per 9 innings) with 19 free passes.

The Athletics held a team slugging percentage of .393 and they were recording 3.97 runs per game (26th in MLB). They recorded 240 doubles, while walking 493 times as well as racking up 643 runs. Sacramento had a total of 196 home runs for the previous season to go along with 619 runs batted in. They were rung up on 1,502 occasions (5th in the league) and recorded 1,267 base hits. The Sacramento Athletics had an on-base percentage of .301 as well as a team batting average of .233 over the course of last season.

The Athletics had a WHIP of 1.333 and had a FIP of 4.22 as a squad for the prior year. They finished at 25th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 1,385. The Sacramento pitching staff conceded 764 runs over the course of last year while holding a team ERA of 4.37 (698 earned runs conceded). They had a K/BB ratio of 7.90 (1,263 strikeouts against 530 walks). They conceded 169 homers and they surrendered 4.79 runs per 9 innings (24th in the league).

Sacramento called on bullpen pitchers to take the mound in 57 save opportunities and they earned 35 saves. They were ranked 20th in the league with a save rate of 61.4%, and they dispatched 531 relievers to the mound last year. Their relievers stepped onto the mound 181 times in high leverage situations and also on 169 occasions with runners on. Sacramento relievers had an inherited score percentage of 32.1% out of their 243 inherited base runners. Wrapping up the year with 161 save situations, the Athletics earned 101 holds in addition to 22 blown saves.

In their 12,930 innings on the diamond, the Athletics accumulated a defensive efficiency of 69.1% (22nd in the majors). The Sacramento Athletics had 142 double plays and owned a fielding percentage of .985 (13th in the majors). The Athletics racked up 1,360 assists, 84 errors and accounted for 4,310 putouts last year.

During his pro baseball career, Estes has conceded 142 base knocks while he has totaled 99 K's in 137 innings. He has surrendered 79 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.246 and a FIP of 5.1. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.41 and he has faced 590 opposing hitters in his career. Estes (7-10 career win-loss record) has a 5.18 earned run average while allowing 9.3 hits per 9 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Sacramento (+126)

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