Oakland Athletics vs Tampa Bay Rays Picks and Predictions August 20th 2024

At 9:40 PM from Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, we have an American League matchup between the Rays and Athletics. Tampa Bay is 4th in the AL East with a record of 62-62, while the Athletics are 4th in the AL West at 54-71.

The money line odds have the Rays at -118 compared to the Athletics at +100, and the over/under line is at 8 runs. Shane Baz is starting for the Rays, while the Athletics are sending Joey Estes to the mound. NSPCA is carrying this one on TV.

Tampa Bay is sending right-hander Shane Baz to the mound today as he faces the Athletics on the road. So far, Baz has made seven starts and has a record of 0-2 with an ERA of 4.21. He has made three quality starts this year and is coming off a rough outing where he gave up three earned runs in seven innings of work. In that outing, he gave up two homers. Baz has been much better on the road, with an ERA of 4.05 compared to 4.36 at home. Baz’s ERA for the season was 3.00 before his last outing.

So far this season, the Rays offense is averaging just 3.9 runs per game, which is 28th in the majors. They have been even worse at home, averaging just 3.7 runs per game. As a team, they are batting just .232 and have the 25th ranked slugging percentage in the league.

Yandy Diaz has been the Rays’ top run producer this season, with 54 RBIs, and he is also near the top of the team’s home run list with 10. Diaz comes into the game on a good stretch of games, hitting .304 over his last seven games. However, Brandon Lowe has struggled of late, going just 5/25 in his last six games.

Right-hander Joey Estes gets the start for the Athletics today as he faces the Rays at home. Estes has made 16 starts this season and has a record of 5-5 with a 4.72 ERA. So far, he has pitched much better at home, coming in with a record of 3-0 and an ERA of 2.56. On the road, Estes is 2-5 with a 10.33 ERA. For the year, he has one complete game shutout and five quality starts. Estes’ ERA for the season is 4.72, and opponents are batting .252 off him this year.

Over his last seven games, Shea Langeliers has been on fire for the Athletics, going 12/25 (.480) with one home run and four RBIs. For the season, he is batting just .226, but his 22 homers are 2nd on the team and 15th in the league. Brent Rooker has also been a big power threat for Oakland, as his 29 homers are the best on the team and 8th in the MLB. Rooker is also batting .289 and has driven in 83 runs, which is 10th in the league.

As a team, the Athletics are just 25th in the league in runs per game, averaging 4 runs per contest. They have been a better offensive team at home, where they are averaging 4.3 runs per game. Overall, they are batting .232 (19th) and have the league’s 7th best home run total.

Despite sitting near the bottom of the American League standings, the Oakland Athletics are showing signs of a strong finish to their season. The A’s will aim to build on their momentum as they continue a four-game series against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.

Athletics Riding a Wave of Success

The Athletics have been on a roll lately, winning six of their last eight games and posting a 17-10 record since the All-Star break. On Monday, they opened the series with a 3-0 victory over the Rays, thanks to a stellar pitching performance and timely hitting. Joe Boyle and three relievers combined for a two-hit shutout, while JJ Bleday provided early offense with a two-run homer in the first inning.

Right-handed reliever Grant Holman played a key role in maintaining the shutout, pitching a scoreless seventh inning. Holman was recently recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas after dominating at the Double-A and Triple-A levels, where he posted a 0.55 ERA and recorded nine saves.

Rays Face Challenges Amid Road Trip

The Tampa Bay Rays saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Monday and are dealing with the absence of key players as they continue their 10-game road trip. Closer Pete Fairbanks landed on the injured list with a right lat strain, leaving the Rays’ bullpen without its top arm. Manager Kevin Cash emphasized caution in Fairbanks’ recovery, noting that they will reassess his condition after the road trip.

Adding to the Rays’ challenges, outfielder Jose Siri is currently in a slump, going 0-for-19 in his last at-bats. The Rays will need to find ways to overcome these setbacks as they look to bounce back in the series.

Pitching Matchup: Shane Baz vs. Joey Estes

Tuesday’s game features an intriguing pitching matchup between Tampa Bay’s Shane Baz and Oakland’s Joey Estes.

Shane Baz (0-2, 4.21 ERA) is still searching for his first win since July 2022. The 25-year-old right-hander, who recently returned from Tommy John surgery, has shown promise but has yet to secure a victory this season. In his last outing, Baz delivered a solid performance, allowing three runs over a career-high seven innings against the Houston Astros. Despite the loss, Rays manager Kevin Cash praised Baz’s effort, saying, “Shane did everything to limit them and give our offense an opportunity. It just wasn’t happening.”

Joey Estes (5-5, 4.72 ERA) has been more effective at home this season, with a 2.40 ERA in seven starts at the Coliseum compared to a 7.17 ERA in road games. In his most recent start, Estes gave up three runs over 5 1/3 innings in a 9-1 loss to the New York Mets, but Kotsay noted that Estes kept the team in the game. Estes has faced the Rays once before, allowing just one run over five innings in a no-decision earlier this season.

Series Outlook: A’s Aim to Stay Hot

As the Athletics continue their series against the Rays, they’ll be looking to sustain their recent success and finish the season on a high note. With key players stepping up and strong pitching performances, the A’s are showing resilience and determination despite their place in the standings.

Meanwhile, the Rays will need to regroup and find ways to navigate their current challenges, including the loss of Fairbanks and Siri’s slump. With Shane Baz on the mound, Tampa Bay hopes to get back on track and continue their push as they head into tougher matchups against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners.

This matchup promises to be a compelling contest, with the A’s seeking to continue their surge and the Rays looking to bounce back. Fans can expect an intense battle as both teams strive to secure a win.

For a money-line pick, we are leaning toward the Athletics to come out on top at home vs. the Rays. And despite our projections pointing to this being the 5th lowest-scoring game of today’s slate, we are leaning toward taking the over. Oakland starter Joey Estes comes into the game with the 12th best strikeout projection among today’s starters.