The Tampa Bay Rays are heading west to face the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The game gets underway 4:05 p.m. ET and NBC Sports – California is in line to broadcast this AL matchup.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Oakland Athletics Odds
Oddsmakers have listed Tampa Bay (+120) as the underdog to Oakland (-130). The total sits at eight runs and bettors can wager on the over for -115 and the under for -105. Bettors can also wager on the games runline with the odds sitting at -175 for the Rays +1.5 runs and +155 for the Athletics -1.5.
The Athletics are 28-25 SU and 24-28 ATS. The teams gained 4.2 units for moneyline bettors while earning 6.3 units against the spread (ATS). The Rays are 25-26 SU and have gone 25-25 ATS. In total, the teams lost 1.8 units for moneyline gamblers and 1.1 units ATS.
Neither team has been an obvious over/under play this year. Oakland games have had an over/under record of 25-24-3 so far in 2018. The Rays have an over/under record of 24-24-2.
Chris Archer is getting the start for the visiting Rays. The right-handed Archer is 3-3 with a 4.68 ERA and 63 strikeouts. He has yet to face the Athletics this year and only made one start against them in 2017 (0-0, 6.00 ERA and eight strikeouts across six innings).
The Athletics are sending righty Trevor Cahill (1-2, 2.75 ERA) to the mound. Cahill has 35 strikeouts and nine walks to his name, as well as a WHIP of 0.97. Cahill did not record a start against the Rays in 2017.
As a unit, Oakland’s pitchers have given up 4.5 runs per game overall this season. The clubs starters have an ERA of 4.32, a WHIP of 1.19 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 7.1. The bullpen has a 3.61 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 8.2 K/9.
The Oakland offense has produced 4.4 runs per outing, including 3.9 per game over its last 10 games and 2.0 per game over its last five. The teams hit .170/.223/.299 over its last five games and is 3-2 SU during that stretch.
The Athletics offense has been led by shortstop Marcus Semien and second baseman Jed Lowrie. Semien is hitting .273/.319/.392 with five home runs, 24 RBIs and 35 runs scored, while Lowrie’s line is .300/.366/.502 with nine homers, 38 RBIs and 20 runs scored.
In the visiting dugout, Tampa Bay’s pitching staff allowed 4.4 runs per game and its starting pitchers own a 4.26 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 8.37 K/9. The bullpen has logged an ERA of 4.02, along with a K/9 of 8.34.
Rays hitters have slashed .264/.340/.403 on their way to 4.3 runs scored per game in 2018, including 4.4 runs per game over the teams last 10 games and 4.0 per game over the teams last five outings (3-2 SU).
Tampa Bay’s offensive production been powered by first baseman C.J. Cron and catcher Wilson Ramos, who’ve collectively blasted 17 home runs. Cron is hitting .266/.327/.477 with 11 home runs, 30 RBIs and 29 runs scored, while Ramos is slashing .310/.352/.465 with six homers, 25 RBIs and 15 runs scored.
Maintaining a slash line of just .213/.244/.339 across 135 such plate appearances, Cron didn’t do especially well against righty pitching on the road last year (compared to his total season slash line of .248/.305/.437).
The Rays have lost 4.0 units and are 14-18 ATS when facing a righty starter this season. The over has hit in 17 of those games, compared to 14 that’ve gone under in such games. On the other hand, the Athletics have netted 5.7 units and are 15-18 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over has hit in 18 of those games, as opposed to 14 which went under the total.
Tampa Bay Rays at Oakland Athletics Free Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Athletics, ATS Winner – Rays, O/U – UNDER
Betting Notes
- The over has hit in only two of Oakland’s last seven games.
- Tampa Bay has posted 22.4 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 games and 21.2 over its last five.
- Both teams have hit 11 home runs over their last 10 outings.
