Oakland Athletics vs Texas Rangers Picks and Predictions September 26th 2024

Thursday’s forecast in Oakland calls for clear skies and temperatures in the upper 50s. First pitch from Oakland Coliseum is set for 3:37 PM ET. NSPCA is carrying this one on TV.

The Athletics are looking to play spoiler, as they are 4th in the AL West and 68-90 overall. The Rangers are 3rd in the division at 75-83 and will have Kumar Rocker on the mound. J.T. Ginn is starting for the Athletics, and they are the slight money line underdog at -105. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs.

Texas vs. Oakland Key Information

Kumar Rocker and the Rangers are on the road to take on the Athletics. Rocker is making his 3rd start of the season and is still looking for his first win. He took a no-decision in his first start and then took a loss in his last outing, where he went 3 innings and gave up 2 runs.

Adolis Garcia has been a bright spot for the Rangers offense this season, leading the team with 83 RBIs and is 2nd on the team with 24 home runs. He has also been hot of late, batting .364 over his last five games. Corey Seager is also having a solid season, as he is batting .278 and has gone deep 30 times, which is 12th in the league.

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As a team, the Rangers are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 21st in the league. They are also near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, including team batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Texas does have a few players on some good hitting streaks, including Josh Smith, who has a seven-game streak going.

J.T. Ginn will be looking to build off his last outing, where he faced the Yankees and finished with a no-decision. In that September 20th start, he went five innings, giving up just one earned run on four hits. Looking back over his last four outings, Ginn has finished with a no-decision in three of them. He has made one quality start this year and has an ERA of 4.39 to go along with a record of 0-1. Opposing batters are hitting .274 off Ginn this year. Per nine innings, he is averaging 8.48 strikeouts and 2.2 walks.

As a team, the Athletics are 26th in the league in scoring, averaging just 4 runs per game. However, they do have the 8th most home runs in the league and have the 10th best isolated power mark in the league. Oakland has been pretty consistent this season, as they are averaging 4 runs per game both at home and on the road. Overall, the team’s batting average is just 18th in the league, at .233.

Over his last 9 games, Shea Langeliers has gone 9/29 (.310) with 3 homers and 6 RBIs. This has raised his season average to .223. Langeliers is 2nd on the team with 28 homers, and Brent Rooker is the team’s top power threat, as he is 6th in the league with 38 homers and is batting .296.

For a money line pick, we are leaning towards the Athletics to come out on top at home vs. the Rangers. As for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over, as this is projected to be the 2nd lowest-scoring game of the day, and this one has the lowest total hits projection. Look for the Athletics to take care of business at home, and we have J.T. Ginn as today’s 4th best strikeout option compared to Kumar Rocker (10th).

Farewell, Oakland: Sellout Crowd Expected for A’s City Finale vs. Rangers

A rare sellout crowd of about 46,000 fans will gather at the Oakland Coliseum on Thursday to witness the Athletics‘ final home game in Oakland before the franchise relocates. After 57 years of major league baseball in the city, this historic moment will be filled with emotions, memories, and reflection as the A’s wrap up their tenure before heading to Sacramento in 2025 and eventually Las Vegas.

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Despite losing four of the first five games in their final homestand, the Athletics (68-90) will look to end on a high note against the Texas Rangers. The team’s farewell series has drawn much larger crowds than usual, with fans eager to celebrate Oakland’s storied baseball legacy one last time.

A’s Relocation and the Struggles Leading to the Decision

After contentious years of negotiations with local officials, Athletics’ ownership decided to relocate the team. Unable to strike a deal for a new stadium to replace the aging Coliseum, the A’s are set to move 90 miles away to Sacramento, where they will play for three seasons until their new ballpark in Las Vegas is ready by 2028.

For manager Mark Kotsay, Thursday’s game will carry significant weight, regardless of the outcome. Kotsay, a former A’s player, knows how deeply the Oakland fans have supported the team throughout the years, and he expects the final game to be a memorable experience.

“The ‘Let’s go Oakland’ is ingrained in my brain,” Kotsay said. “That’ll never go away, no matter if we’re playing here or if I’m sitting on a porch somewhere retired.”

Oakland Fans Endure a Difficult Farewell Season

Oakland fans have had to endure a challenging season, not only dealing with the prospect of relocation but also witnessing the team’s struggles on the field. The Athletics are on track to post fewer than 70 wins for the third straight season, marking a period of decline for the franchise that once won four World Series titles after moving from Kansas City in 1968.

However, Tuesday’s series opener gave fans something to cheer about with a dramatic walk-off victory. The A’s have recorded 485 walk-off wins since their move to Oakland, more than any other major league team during that span.

Former Rivalries and Nostalgia Surround the Final Game

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, who spent 13 years managing across the bay for the San Francisco Giants, expressed his fondness for playing in Oakland. Bochy reflected on the intense rivalry with the A’s and how passionate the Oakland fan base has been over the years.

“There’s a lot of die-hard Oakland fans. Believe me, I had to hear it from them over the years,” Bochy said. “They’ve had a lot of success here. It’s hard to believe this is going to be the last series. I’m glad that I’m here for it.”

Young Pitchers Look to Make Their Mark in Oakland’s Final Game

The final game will feature a battle between two young, highly-touted pitching prospects—Rangers’ 24-year-old Kumar Rocker (0-1, 2.57 ERA) and A’s 25-year-old right-hander J.T. Ginn (0-1, 4.40 ERA). Both pitchers, who were first-round draft picks, will seek their first major league win, adding a layer of anticipation to the emotional finale.

Rocker, a former Vanderbilt standout, will be making his third big-league start for the Rangers. Meanwhile, Ginn, coming off his best outing of the season against the New York Yankees, will make his sixth start for the A’s. Both young arms will be aiming to start their careers on a high note as they take the mound in a game filled with historical significance.