The Oakland Athletics will start their first full week of August by heading to Chicago to take on the Cubs. Both of these teams would love to win this series considering the spots they are in. For the A’s, they are falling behind a hot Astros team in the AL West but are still really close in the Wild Card race. The Cubs find themselves in the midst of a tight NL Central race where every game counts. This series is a good test for both teams and should be interesting to watch.
Probable Pitchers and Game Times
Game 1: Monday, August 5 | 8:05 PM EST
Probables: Kyle Hendricks (8-8, 3.07 ERA) vs. Chris Bassitt (7-5, 3.84 ERA)
Game 2: Tuesday, August 6 | 8:05 PM EST
Probables: Jon Lester (9-7, 3.86 ERA) vs. Brett Anderson (9-7, 4.04 ERA)
Game 3: Wednesday, August 7 | 2:20 PM EST
Probables: Jose Quintana (9-7, 4.40 ERA) vs. Homer Bailey (9-7, 5.20 ERA)
Players to Watch for
Oakland Athletics: Matt Olson
First basemen Matt Olson had himself a memorable July, slashing .283/.359/.533 with an .892 OPS. The 25-year-old also bats in the three or four spot consistently, giving him some good opportunities to drive runs in scoring position. In fact, Olson has a .902 OPS with runners on base so far this season. Matt Olson will look to continue hitting well, especially with runners on base.
Chicago Cubs: Nicholas Castellanos
Nicholas Castellanos has played just three games with his new team at the time of writing. Through those games, his line is .333/.385/.500 along with two doubles. The 27-year-old is already playing against an AL opponent again by facing the A’s. This could work in his favor, as he has a 1.053 OPS against game one starter Chris Bassitt. He also has a .333 average against Brett Anderson, who is scheduled to start game three for Oakland.
Notable Injuries
Oakland Athletics:
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- Josh Phegley’s thumb has him missing some time.
- Marco Estrada will likely miss August as he recovers from a back injury.
- Ramon Laureano has leg pain keeping him sidelined for a couple of weeks.
- Sean Manaea can finally return later this week but most likely won’t pitch in the series.
Chicago Cubs:
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- Brandon Morrow will miss some more games as his elbow heals.
- Daniel Descalso will likely miss the series with an ankle injury.
- Pedro Strop can return during this set with Oakland if his neck is ready.
- Wilson Contreras has a hamstring injury but may be able to play.
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