The Tampa Bay Rays will head west to face the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The game gets underway 4:05 p.m. ET and NBC Sports – California will be airing this AL matchup.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Oakland Athletics Odds
Oddsmakers are listing Oakland (-130) as the favorite over Tampa Bay (+120). The total sits at eight runs and bettors can wager on the over for -115 or the under for -105. Bettors can also wager on the game’s spread with the most recent runline odds coming in at Rays +1.5 runs (-175) and Athletics -1.5 runs (+155).
The Rays are 25-26 SU and have gone 25-25 against the spread (ATS). They’ve lost 1.8 units for moneyline bettors and 1.1 units ATS. Tampa Bay is 3-4 ATS over its last seven games and the under has hit in six of those seven. The Athletics, on the other hand, are 28-25 SU and 24-28 ATS. The team’s gained 4.2 units for moneyline bettors while earning 6.3 units ATS. Oakland has covered the spread only twice over its last seven games and the total has gone under in four of those seven.
Neither squad has been an obvious over/under bet this season. Oakland games have an over/under record of 25-24-3 so far in 2018. The Rays have an over/under record of 24-24-2.
The right-handed Chris Archer is projected to start for the visiting Rays. 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 over six innings).
The Athletics are turning to righty Trevor Cahill (1-2, 2.75 ERA), who’s got 35 strikeouts and nine walks to his name as well as a 0.97 WHIP. Cahill did not record a start against the Rays in 2017.
Oakland’s pitchers have allowed 4.5 runs per game overall in 2018 as a unit. The team’s starters have a 4.32 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 7.1 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 3.61 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 8.2 K/9.
The Oakland offense is putting up 4.4 runs per contest, including 3.9 per game over its last 10 games and 2.0 per game over its last five. The team has slashed .170/.223/.299 over its last five matchups and is 3-2 SU during that stretch.
The Athletics’ hitters have 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, and Lowrie’s line sits at .300/.366/.502 with nine homers, 38 RBIs and 20 runs.
In the visiting dugout, Tampa Bay’s pitching staff allowed 4.4 runs per game and its starters 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 team’s last 10 games and 4.0 per game over the team’s last five contests (3-2 SU).
Tampa Bay’s offense has been powered by first baseman C.J. Cron and catcher Wilson Ramos, who’ve collectively launched 17 home runs. Cron is slashing .266/.327/.477 with 11 home runs, 30 RBIs and 29 runs scored, while Ramos (.310/.352/.465) is up to six homers, 25 RBIs and 15 runs scored.
Maintaining a slash line of just .213/.244/.339 across 135 such plate appearances, Cron did not do especially well against righties on the road in 2017 (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 righty starter. The over has cashed in 18 of those games, compared to 14 that went under the total.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Oakland Athletics Free Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Athletics, ATS Winner – Rays, O/U – UNDER
Click Here to Start Betting Today!
Notes
Betting Trends
Tampa Bay has posted 22.4 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 21.2 over its last five.
Both teams have hit 11 home runs over their last 10 games.
+++++
