Athletics @ Cubs

Who will WIN this matchup?

Oakland Athletics (64-48)

@ Chicago Cubs (60-51)

Starting Pitchers:

Bassitt (OAK): 7-5; 3.84 ERA

Hendricks (CHC) 8-8; 3.07 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Oakland Athletics: 6-4

Chicago Cubs: 6-4

Current odds:

Oakland Athletics: (+145)

Chicago Cubs: (-155)

• Two teams with postseason aspirations who are riding three-game winning streaks collide on Monday, when the Chicago Cubs host the Oakland Athletics for the opener of their three-game interleague series. Chicago moved past St. Louis and opened a 1 1/2-game lead in the National League Central by recording a three-game sweep of Milwaukee over the weekend. Kyle Schwarber went deep to reach the 25-homer plateau for the third straight season and Jason Heyward belted a solo shot during a 2-for-5, three-RBI performance on Sunday in Chicago’s 7-2 victory. Heyward’s multi-hit effort was his fourth in eight contests while Anthony Rizzo matched a season high with four hits after going 1-for-7 over the first two games of the series.

• Oakland improved to 4-1 during its eight-game stretch against NL Central clubs with Sunday’s 4-2 triumph over St. Louis. Jurickson Profar homered while Dustin Garneau went 2-for-3 with two RBIs in his team debut as the Athletics posted their sixth win in seven contests to remain one-half game behind red-hot Tampa Bay for the second wild-card spot in the American League.

• Bassitt has allowed two earned runs or fewer in three of his four starts since the All-Star break, including a no-decision against Milwaukee on Tuesday in which he scattered three hits over six scoreless innings. The 30-year-old native of Ohio has lost two of his last three turns on the road, however, surrendering 10 runs and 12 hits over 10 1/3 frames in the defeats. Bassitt has yet to face the Cubs in his career but is 0-3 with a 3.35 ERA in seven interleague starts.

• Hendricks posted a 2.25 ERA while allowing fewer than three runs in each of his six starts in July but finished with a 1-3 record for the month. The 29-year-old Californian is coming off back-to-back scoreless outings, including a victory at St. Louis on Wednesday in which he permitted seven hits while registering seven strikeouts over seven innings. Hendricks made his lone career start against the Athletics on Aug. 7, 2016, when he gave up one run and three hits over 7 1/3 frames of a victory at Oakland.

• Cubs starting pitchers have gone six straight games without issuing a walk – the longest such streak in team history since at least 1905, according to club historian Ed Hartig.

• Oakland SS Marcus Semien went 4-for-8 with two doubles, two walks and two runs during the team’s two-game sweep of St. Louis.

• Chicago placed Willson Contreras (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list and recalled fellow C Taylor Davis from Triple-A Iowa.