Athletics vs Chicago Cubs Picks and Prediction for Thursday June 4 2026
Use Code SSWC The Athletics and Chicago Cubs continue their series on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 PM ET, and the game will be televised on MLB.TV. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. The Athletics enter after taking the most recent meeting between these clubs, while the Cubs will look to respond on their home field. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks for additional analysis and daily selections.
Starting Pitchers
The Athletics had not announced a starting pitcher at the time the matchup information was provided. Chicago is expected to send Shota Imanaga to the mound. Imanaga enters this contest with a 4-6 record, a 4.37 ERA, and an excellent 1.07 WHIP across 70.0 innings. He has allowed 57 hits while striking out 69 batters, walking 18, and surrendering 13 home runs. His ability to limit baserunners has been one of the stronger aspects of his season.
Athletics Seek Another Road Victory
The Athletics come into Thursday's matchup with a 29-31 overall record and an impressive 18-14 road record. They recently won over the Cubs 2-1, recently lost to the Yankees 13-8 and 8-2, recently won over the Yankees 6-4, and recently lost to Seattle 9-1. The Athletics have won two of their last five games, including a victory in the opening game of this series.
Offensively, the Athletics have produced a .246 batting average while scoring 254 runs on 501 hits. They have hit 64 home runs and carry a .327 on-base percentage with a .393 slugging percentage. On the mound, the Athletics own a 4.42 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP while allowing opponents to hit .253 against them. Their pitching staff has recorded 475 strikeouts and issued 237 walks.
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One strength for the Athletics is their ability to get on base and generate power. They hold advantages over Chicago in batting average and slugging percentage while remaining close in home run production. Their road record is also noteworthy, as they have won more road games than home games this season.
Cubs Attempt to Defend Home Field
Chicago enters this contest with a 32-29 overall record and an 18-12 record at Wrigley Field. The Cubs recently lost to the Athletics 2-1, recently lost to St. Louis 5-1 and 6-5, and recently won over St. Louis 6-1 and Pittsburgh 7-2. Chicago has dropped three of its last five games but remains above .500 and has been strong at home throughout the season.
The Cubs are batting .238 as a team with 285 runs scored on 493 hits. They have hit 67 home runs while posting a .333 on-base percentage and a .384 slugging percentage. Their pitching staff has produced a 4.16 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP while holding opponents to a .238 batting average. Chicago pitchers have recorded 484 strikeouts and issued 183 walks.
The biggest advantage for Chicago is its run production and overall pitching efficiency. The Cubs have scored 285 runs compared to 254 for the Athletics and own better numbers in ERA, WHIP, opponent batting average, and walks allowed. Those statistics help explain why Chicago enters this game with a winning record despite recent struggles.
Athletics vs Chicago Cubs Picks and Prediction
Athletics vs Chicago Cubs Pick
- Pick: Chicago Cubs Moneyline
Chicago gets the edge in this matchup despite losing the most recent meeting. The Cubs have the better overall record, the stronger home record, and superior pitching numbers across several key categories. Chicago owns a lower ERA, lower WHIP, and lower opponent batting average while also scoring more runs than the Athletics. With ESPN's matchup predictor giving the Cubs a 60.2% chance to win and a proven starter scheduled to take the mound, Chicago is the preferred side.
Athletics vs Chicago Cubs Total Pick
- Pick: Under 8.5
I would take the under if the total is set at 8.5. The first game of this series finished with only three total runs in a 2-1 result. Chicago's pitching staff owns a respectable 4.16 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP, while the Cubs' scheduled starter has allowed only 57 hits in 70.0 innings. Although both teams have shown some offensive capability throughout the season, the recent head-to-head result points me toward a lower-scoring game.
Final Score Prediction: Chicago Cubs 5 – Athletics 3
This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Wednesday.
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