Oakland Athletics vs Detroit Tigers Picks and Predictions September 6th 2024

The Athletics host the Tigers today at 9:40 PM ET at Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA. However, they are the slight underdog on the money line, with their odds sitting at +148 compared to the Tigers at -177. The over/under line is currently at 7 runs.

BSDET is televising today’s AL matchup, and the Tigers are the favorite, as their money line odds are -177. The Athletics come in with a record of 61-80, while the Tigers are 71-70. Tarik Skubal is starting for the Tigers, while Mitch Spence goes for the Athletics.

Tarik Skubal has been pitching great for the Tigers, as he comes into the game with a record of 16-4 and an ERA of 2.51. Skubal’s WHIP for the season is currently .93. In his 27 starts, he has made 20 quality starts and is averaging 10.75 strikeouts per nine innings. Skubal’s last outing came against the Red Sox, where he picked up the win, going eight innings and giving up just one earned run. He finished the outing with eight strikeouts. Before that, he had won three straight starts. The left-hander has been especially tough at home, with an ERA of 2.2 compared to 3.19 on the road.

For the season, the Tigers are averaging just 4.2 runs per game, which is 23rd in the league. They are also near the bottom of the league in most major offensive categories, including batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Detroit also hasn’t been great at avoiding strikeouts, as they are 19th in the league in that category.

Riley Greene has been the Tigers’ top power threat this season, as his 20 home runs are the most on the team. He also comes into the game with a team-leading 58 RBIs. Matt Vierling is 2nd on the team in home runs and 3rd in RBIs, while batting .259 for the season. In his last eight games, Vierling has gone 8/31 with one home run.

Mitch Spence gets the start for the Athletics today and will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Rays, where he gave up four earned runs in seven innings of work. In that outing, he also gave up one homer. Looking back at his last three outings, Spence has finished with a no-decision in each one. He has made 19 starts this year and has a record of 7-9 with a 4.50 ERA. Opposing batters are hitting .251 off Spence this year. The right-hander has turned in three quality starts this year and is averaging 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

So far this season, the Athletics offense has been a bit of a mixed bag, as they are 4th in the league in home runs, but are batting just .234 as a team and are averaging only 4.1 runs per game. One thing that has hurt them is their collective strikeout numbers, as they are 24th in the league in this category. However, they do have two of the league’s top home run hitters in Brent Rooker and Shea Langeliers.

Rooker has been on a tear of late, going 15/32 in his last eight games, with four homers and nine RBIs. During this stretch, he has scored nine runs. Langeliers has 25 homers this season, but is batting just .221 for the year. Oakland will also look for Lawrence Butler to stay hot, as he is on a 15-game hitting streak and has five homers in his last eight games.

Tarik Skubal Seeks Major-League-Leading 17th Win as Tigers Open Series Against A’s

Detroit Tigers’ ace Tarik Skubal is on a mission to secure his 17th win of the season as the Tigers open a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics on Friday night. With Skubal tied for the most wins in MLB, this matchup offers the Tigers a chance to gain ground in the AL wild-card race while Skubal further solidifies his case for the Cy Young Award.

Skubal’s Stellar Season

Tarik Skubal (16-4, 2.51 ERA) has been nothing short of sensational this season. He currently ranks second in ERA behind Chris Sale (2.46) of the Braves and is tied for the second-most strikeouts in the league with 201, just behind Sale’s 206. Skubal’s recent stretch has only strengthened his Cy Young candidacy. He has won four of his last five starts, including a dominant performance against the Red Sox, where he allowed just one run over a career-high eight innings to secure a 2-1 victory for Detroit.

Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson added, “He’s unbelievable… It’s the conviction behind it. He sets the tone. It builds character in our pitching staff and even in the position players.”

Tigers’ Playoff Push

The Tigers (71-70) are still alive in the playoff hunt, sitting five games back in the race for the final AL wild-card spot. Detroit is coming off a thrilling 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres, capped by a Parker Meadows grand slam in the top of the ninth inning, avoiding a sweep in the series and keeping their postseason hopes alive.

Skubal has been a key part of Detroit’s success this season, with a solid career track record against Oakland, boasting a 3-2 record and a 2.52 ERA in seven starts. In his last outing against the A’s earlier this season, he struck out nine over 6 1/3 innings, allowing four runs in a no-decision.

Athletics Looking for Stability

The A’s (61-80) have had a rocky season but recently split a four-game series against the Seattle Mariners, winning the first two games before dropping the last two. Although their postseason hopes are long gone, Oakland still poses a threat, thanks to the power of Brent Rooker, who hit two more home runs on Thursday, bringing his season total to 35.

“My homers always seem to come in bunches,” Rooker said. “This year, I’ve done a better job of getting base hits and taking walks between those bursts of slugging.”

Mitch Spence Gets the Start for Oakland

Rookie right-hander Mitch Spence (7-9, 4.50 ERA) will get the start for the Athletics. Spence has shown flashes of promise but has struggled to pitch deep into games. His most recent starts have been solid, allowing one run over 5 1/3 innings against the Reds and two runs in five innings against the Rangers, though he didn’t factor into the decision in either game.

Friday’s game will mark Spence’s first career start against the Tigers, and he’ll look to continue his recent string of solid performances.

Outlook for the Series

Both teams come into this series with something to prove. For the Tigers, they are fighting to stay in the playoff race, and Tarik Skubal is expected to play a pivotal role in their push. On the other hand, the A’s are looking to build on their recent success and continue to develop their young talent like Mitch Spence.

With Skubal on the mound and coming off several dominant outings, Detroit will look to start the series on a high note. This is a prime opportunity for the Tigers to close the gap in the playoff race while Skubal chases his 17th win, a feat that could put him at the forefront of the Cy Young conversation.

For a money-line pick, our lean would be to take the Athletics to come out on top at home. We also like the over in this one, as this is projected to be the 6th highest-scoring game of today’s league slate. Oakland starter Mitch Spence comes into this one with the 7th best odds to pick up a win among today’s starters.