The Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics are set to face off in the third game of their series at Oakland Coliseum. While the Rays are favored due to their superior record and Ryan Pepiot’s strong pitching, the Athletics have a home-field advantage and offer a more appealing plus-money bet.
Tampa Bay Rays -132
- The Rays are 63-62 on the season.
- They have scored 9 runs in their last 3 games and 4 or more runs in 3 of their last 6 games.
- Yandy Diaz leads the team with 127 hits and 54 RBI.
Oakland Athletics +112
- The Athletics are 54-72 on the season.
- They have scored 5 runs in their last 3 games and 3 or fewer runs in 6 of their last 9 games.
- Brent Rooker leads the team with 115 hits and 83 RBI.
Pitching Matchup
- Ryan Pepiot (Rays): 6-5 with a 3.69 ERA and 99 strikeouts this season.
- Mitch Spence (Athletics): 7-8 with a 4.64 ERA and 87 strikeouts this season.
Prediction
While the Rays are the stronger team on paper, the Athletics are at home and offer better value with the plus-money odds. Given that neither team has much to play for this season, the Athletics are a tempting underdog pick.
The pick: Oakland Athletics
Despite the Tampa Bay Rays being the favored team and having a stronger record, the prediction leans towards the Oakland Athletics due to their home-field advantage and the more favorable plus-money odds they offer in betting.
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