Ny Mets vs Oakland Athletics Picks and Predictions August 15th 2024

Jose Quintana and the Mets (62-58) will host the Athletics today at Citi Field in New York, and they are the heavy money line favorite at -180. Oakland is 51-70 and starting Mitch Spence. Today’s over/under line is sitting at 8.5 runs.

First pitch for this one is set for 1:10 PM ET, and NSPCA is carrying the game on TV. This interleague matchup has the Athletics as the +151 underdog on the money line, while the Mets are 3rd in the NL East.

Oakland vs. New York Key Information

• Teams: Athletics at Mets
• Where: Citi Field New York
• Date: Thursday, August 15th
• Betting Odds NYM -180 | OAK +151 O/U 8.5

Mitch Spence gets the start for the Athletics today as he faces the Mets on the road. He has made 15 starts this year and has a record of 7-8 with an ERA of 4.33. Spence’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.31. In his 26 appearances, he has turned in three quality starts and is averaging 7.3 strikeouts per nine innings. The right-hander most recently faced the Blue Jays, where he took the loss, giving up two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of work. Before that outing, he had won two straight starts.

Overall, the Athletics offense is averaging 4.1 runs per game, which is 25th in the league. They have been a bit better at home, averaging 4.4 runs per game. As a team, they are batting just .231, which is 18th in the league, and are also near the bottom of the league in strikeouts. However, they do have the 4th most home runs in the league.

Brent Rooker has been a big power threat for the Athletics this season, as his 29 homers are 8th in the league. He is also hitting .293 and comes into the game on a three-game hitting streak. Over his last seven games, Zack Gelof has two homers and is batting .333.

• The Athletics are 5-5 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Athletics are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• Oakland has an over/under record of 4-6 in their last ten games.
• The Athletics have an average of 4.0 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Athletics are 6-4
• Looking back across the Athletics last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
• Oakland has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Athletics have averaged 3.9 runs per game on offense

Jose Quintana gets the start for the Mets today and will be looking to bounce back from his last outing, where he took the loss and gave up five earned runs in 6 2/3 innings of work. Looking back over his last four outings, Quintana has given up at least one home run in each start. His record for the season is 6-8, and his ERA is 4.10. Opponents have a batting average of .233 this season off Quintana. One positive note for the left-hander is that he has turned in eight quality starts this year. Quintana’s ERA at home is 3.70 compared to 5.99 on the road.

Francisco Lindor comes into the game as the Mets’ hottest hitter, as he has gone 9/21 in his last five games, including one home run. For the season, he is batting .263 with a team-high 69 RBIs and is on an eight-game hitting streak. Pete Alonso has also been a big power threat for the Mets, as he has 26 homers, which is 10th in the league, and is 2nd on the team with 68 RBIs.

Overall, the Mets are 5th in home runs this season and are averaging 4.8 runs per game. They have been even better on the road, averaging 5 runs per contest. As a team, the Mets are batting .249, which is 9th in the league, and are among the league leaders in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS.

• The Mets are 4-6 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Mets are 1-4 vs. the run line.
• New York has an over/under record of 3-7 in their last ten games.
• The Mets have an average of 2.8 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Mets are 4-6
• Looking back across the Mets last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
• New York has gone 0-3 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Mets have averaged 3.5 runs per game on offense

Mets Eye Crucial Series Win Against Resilient A’s

As the New York Mets continue their push for a National League wild-card spot, they face a pivotal series-deciding game against the Oakland Athletics on Thursday afternoon. With the playoff race tightening, the Mets are determined to capitalize on their recent offensive surge and secure a crucial victory at home.

Mets Bounce Back with Big Win

After a rough four-game losing streak that put their playoff hopes in jeopardy, the Mets came roaring back on Wednesday night with a commanding 9-1 victory over the A’s. The top of the Mets’ lineup was on fire, with Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, J.D. Martinez, Jesse Winker, and Pete Alonso combining for eight hits and seven RBIs. Lindor went 2-for-5 with a solo homer, while Alonso had a perfect night at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a home run and a double.

This win keeps the Mets just two games behind the Atlanta Braves in the race for the final National League wild-card spot. Since late May, the Mets have gone 39-21, proving they can hang with the best, but their recent skid reminded everyone that nothing is guaranteed as the season winds down.

“We thrive on pressure—we embrace it,” said Lindor. “Pressure means we’re in the thick of things, and that’s where we want to be. We’ve got a great shot to do something special, and we’re all in.”

A’s Playing the Spoiler Role Despite Missing Rooker

While the Mets are fighting to stay in the playoff race, the Athletics have fully embraced their role as spoilers. Although out of contention themselves, the A’s have been one of the hottest teams in the American League since mid-July, posting a 16-11 record. However, they’re missing their top hitter, Brent Rooker, who’s out on paternity leave after the birth of his second daughter. Rooker, who leads the team with 29 home runs, 83 RBIs, and a .293 batting average, leaves a big hole in the lineup.

In Wednesday’s game, the A’s struggled without Rooker’s bat, managing just one run on a sacrifice fly by Daz Cameron. It’s been a recurring issue for Oakland, as they’ve scored one run or fewer 27 times this season, showcasing their inconsistency at the plate.

“Missing that kind of production definitely hurts,” said A’s manager Mark Kotsay. “But we’ve got other guys who can step up. Tonight, though, we ran into a tough lefty who pitched a great game.”

Pitching Matchup: Quintana vs. Spence

Thursday’s series finale will feature Mets’ left-hander Jose Quintana (6-8, 4.10 ERA) going up against A’s rookie right-hander Mitch Spence (7-8, 4.33 ERA). Quintana is looking to bounce back after giving up five runs over 6 2/3 innings in a loss to the Mariners last Friday. Despite that hiccup, Quintana has generally fared well against Oakland, with a 3.04 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts).

Spence, making just his 18th career start, also took a loss in his last outing, allowing two runs over 5 2/3 innings in a 3-1 defeat to the Blue Jays. This will be his first time facing the Mets, adding some intrigue to the matchup.

Mets Look to Keep Playoff Dreams Alive

With only a few weeks left in the regular season, the Mets, led by stars like Lindor and Alonso, are laser-focused on keeping their playoff hopes alive with a series win against the A’s. Every game matters now, and the pressure is on. Meanwhile, the Athletics, even without their top hitter, are eager to keep playing spoiler and add another win to their strong post-All-Star break record.

Thursday’s game is shaping up to be a critical one for both teams, with the Mets fighting to stay in the playoff race and the A’s looking to disrupt their plans.

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The Lean

Despite this Mets vs. Athletics matchup being one of the lowest-scoring games of the day, we are leaning towards taking the over. As for how we would play the money line, we are leaning towards the Athletics to pick up the win. Between the two starters, we have Mitch Spence finishing with more strikeouts than Jose Quintana for the Mets.