The Oakland Athletics are set to host the Tampa Bay Rays at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. NBC Sports – California will televise this AL matchup and the opening pitch is scheduled for 10:05 p.m. ET.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Oakland Athletics Odds
Oakland (-110) is favored over Tampa Bay (+100) and Vegas has the Over/Under for this night game at 8.5 runs. Odds for wagering on the games total sit at -125 for the under and +105 for the over. Bettors can also wager on the games runline with the odds standing at Rays +1.5 runs (-210) and Athletics -1.5 runs (+175).
The Athletics are 28-26 SU and 25-28 ATS. The team has gained 5.3 units for bettors taking the moneyline while gaining 5.3 units against the spread (ATS). The Rays are 26-26 SU and have gone 26-25 ATS. In total, the teams lost 0.8 units for moneyline bettors, but have gained 0.7 units ATS.
Neither squad has been a strong over/under play this season. Oakland games have an over/under record of 25-25-3 so far in 2018. Rays games have gone over 25 times, gone under 24 times and pushed on two occasions.
Blake Snell is getting the nod for the visiting Rays. The southpaw Snell is 6-3 with a 2.78 ERA and 69 strikeouts. He has yet to face the Athletics this year and only made one start against them in 2017 (0-0, 6.75 ERA and six strikeouts over four innings).
The Athletics are putting the ball in the right hand of Daniel Gossett (0-2, 6.28 ERA, 1.33 WHIP), who has eight punchouts and four walks this season. Gossett only made one start against the Rays in 2017 (0-1, 3.86 ERA and three strikeouts across seven innings).
As a unit, Oakland’s pitchers have allowed 4.4 runs per game overall this season. The teams starting pitching staff has a 4.20 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 7.1 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 3.56 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 8.1 K/9.
The Oakland hitters have put up 4.3 runs per contest, including 2.9 per game over its last 10 games and 2.0 per game over their last five. The team has hit .179/.240/.315 over its last five matchups and is 3-2 SU during that span.
Jed Lowrie has helped lead the Athletics offense this year with nine home runs, 38 RBIs and 20 runs scored.
In the other dugout, Tampa Bay’s pitchers have allowed 4.3 runs per game and its starters own a 4.16 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 8.42 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 3.90, along with a K/9 of 8.28.
Rays hitters have slashed .261/.336/.398 on their way to 4.2 runs scored per game in 2018, including 3.8 runs per game over the teams last 10 games and 4.0 per game over the teams last five outings (4-1 SU).
C.J. Cron has led Tampa Bay’s hitters. Cron is slashing .263/.323/.468 with 11 home runs, 30 RBIs and 29 runs scored. He did not perform especially well against right-handed pitching on the road last season. Over 135 such plate appearances, he put up a slash line of .213/.244/.339 (compared to his total season line of .248/.305/.437).
The Rays are looking for another win after a 1-0 victory in the prior game of this series.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Oakland Athletics Free MLB Tip
Predictions: SU Winner – Athletics, ATS Winner – Rays, O/U – OVER
Betting Trends
- The over has hit in just two of Oakland’s last seven games.
- Both teams have hit eight home runs over their last 10 games.
- Tampa Bay has averaged 20.4 runs + hits + errors over its last 10 contests and 22.8 over its last five.
