Cubs vs Athletics Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today’s MLB Game

Sacramento has shown, in its brief time as the A's home, to be a launching pad. While it's not a certainty that this is the norm, we like the Cubs and A's to run up the score one more time before Thursday's travel day.

Neil Parker - Analyst at Covers.com
Neil Parker • Betting Analyst
Apr 2, 2025 • 09:10 ET • 4 min read
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This article contains predictions for an old game!

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Touching them all hasn’t been a problem in Sutter Health Park to start the 2025 season, with the Chicago Cubs and the Athletics combining for 32 runs through the first two games of their series.

The two clubs play the finale on Wednesday, April 2, and my top Cubs vs. Athletics predictions and MLB picks are calling for another high-scoring game in West Sacramento this afternoon.

Cubs vs Athletics prediction

My Cubs vs Athletics best bet: Over 9.0 (+101 at Pinnacle)

While it’s too early to officially dub Sutter Health Park a launching pad, the early results have been dreamy for hitters.

The Chicago Cubs have put 25 runs on the board through the first two games of their road series against the Athletics, with the home team chipping in for another seven. The barrage has been fuelled by nine home runs and another 11 extra-base hits, and I’m not expecting any let-up in West Sacramento this afternoon.

Cubs righty Jameson Taillon was hit hard in his season debut after out-pitching his underlying metrics in 2024. The veteran finished with a 3.27 ERA last year despite a 4.16 xFIP, and his velocity was down across the board. Taillon’s 6.8 K/9 and 18.5 K% were also career-low marks, and I’m anticipating the A's will manufacture more offense today.

It’s opposing starter Jeffrey Springs keeping this total in check, and he’s been lights out when healthy, dating back to his 2022 breakthrough. The problem is he’s only made 11 starts and pitched 55 innings over the past three years.

The Cubs also send a solid lineup to the dish against southpaws and are off to a good start with a high-end .356 wOBA, .300 ISO and 9.1 BB%. Look for Chicago to continue its patient plate approach and pick away at Springs’ pitch count.

Plus, Springs mowing through the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park doesn’t move the needle. The Mariners have the second-highest strikeout percentage and seventh-lowest wOBA against southpaws dating back to 2023.

Cubs vs Athletics same-game parlay (SGP)

Over 8.5

Cubs moneyline

Jeffrey Springs 5+ strikeouts

Chicago has won four of six since returning from the Tokyo Series, and the lineup is turning over with an impressive .353 on-base percentage while averaging 7.7 runs per game. Of course, the Cubs have won 44 of their past 75 games dating back to last season (+10.85 Units / 11% ROI), too.

Turning to Springs, he misses bats and has posted an impressive 10.1 K/9 and 27.9 K% since his 2022 breakout campaign. His strikeout prop is an excellent boost for these odds because it isn’t correlated with the Cubs moneyline or the Over.

Finally, there’s also a huge edge in the available odds for this same-game parlay, with FanDuel pricing the SGP at just +463. The difference in the numbers attaches a positive expected value of a monster 51% to the +750 odds at bet365.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Cubs vs Athletics odds

Cubs vs Athletics live odds

Cubs vs Athletics opening odds

  • Moneyline: Chicago -110 | Athletics -110
  • Run line: Chicago -1.5 (+165) | Athletics +1.5 (-200)
  • Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-105) | Under 8.5 (-115)

Cubs vs Athletics trend

The Chicago Cubs have won 44 of their last 75 games (+10.85 Units / 11% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Athletics.

How to watch Cubs vs Athletics and game info

Location Sutter Health Park, Sacramento, CA
Date Wednesday, 4-2-2025
First pitch 3:35 p.m. ET
TV MARQ, NBCSCA
Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Tailon
(0-1, 12.46 ERA)
Athletics starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs
(1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Cubs vs Athletics latest injuries

Cubs vs Athletics weather

Not intended for use in MA.
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Neil Parker - Covers
Betting Analyst

Neil Parker is, first and foremost, a sports fan. A huge supporter of the Cowboys, Cubs, and Maple Leafs, he has managed to parlay his passion into writing gigs with Sportsbook Review, USA TODAY, theScore, DraftKings Playbook, and RotoWire, among many others. He also co-hosted the Daily Fantasy Edge podcast and can now be seen offering expert golf and hockey advice on Covers’ Before you Bet broadcast.

Neil takes a numbers-based approach to his handicapping and complements his in-depth statistical analysis with a keen eye on the markets to provide the best available odds. He loves to lean on his rolodex of idioms to offset his inner nerd. When it comes to wagering, he throws down on anything that catches his eye at bet365, Betway and BetVictor. He also keeps a close eye on CoolBet because the polar bear brand often has outlier NHL and NFL moneyline prices.

Neil graduated with honors from St. Thomas University in 2007 before completing his BEd at Acadia University in 2010. After teaching a myriad of courses and subjects, he found a groove delivering fun lessons to exceptional learners in non-traditional classroom environments. If his decade-plus teaching run taught him anything about sports betting, it’s to stay the course and use the summer – or offseason – to refresh and prepare to be better in the year to come.

Neil’s top pieces of advice for recreational bettors are to stay within your means and to remember sportsbooks aren’t bank accounts. Don’t be afraid to pull those winnings and treat yourself to a lifetime experience courtesy of a big win.

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