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From Globe Life Field in Arlington, we have the Athletics and Rangers facing off in an AL West matchup. First pitch is at 7:05 PM ET, and NSPCA is carrying this one on TV.
The over/under line is currently at 8.5 runs, and the Rangers are favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -157. The Athletics are +133 on the money line, and they are 4th in the AL West, while the Rangers are 3rd.
Oakland vs. Texas Key Information
- Teams: Athletics at Rangers
- Where: Globe Life Field Arlington
- Date: Saturday, August 31st
- Betting Odds TEX -157 | OAK +133 O/U 8.5
The Athletics Can Win If…
Right-hander Joey Estes gets the start for the Athletics today as he faces the Rangers on the road. He has made 18 starts this season and has a record of 6-6 with an ERA of 4.37. So far, Estes has turned in six quality starts, and opponents are batting .236 off him this year. In his last outing, he went 5 2/3 innings, picking up the win and giving up two earned runs. Before that, he had lost two straight starts. Estes’ ERA on the road is 10.33 compared to 2.47 at home.
Over the past seven games, Lawrence Butler has been on fire for the Athletics, going 11/30 with six homers and 11 RBIs. He also has nine runs scored during this stretch. Overall, Brent Rooker and Shea Langeliers are the Athletics’ top home run hitters, with 33 and 23 homers, respectively. Rooker is also 9th in the league with 90 RBIs.
As a team, the Athletics are 5th in home runs this season but are just 24th in runs scored, averaging 4.1 runs per contest. Their team batting average of .233 is 18th in the league. Overall, their offense is averaging 4.1 runs per game, which is 24th in the MLB.
- The Athletics are 5-5 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Athletics are 5-0 vs. the run line.
- Oakland has an over/under record of 5-5 in their last ten games.
- The Athletics have an average of 7.2 runs per game over their last five games.
- Across their last ten road games, the Athletics are 7-3
- 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 5.9 runs per game on offense
The Rangers Can Win If…
Texas is sending left-hander Cody Bradford to the mound today vs. the Athletics. He has made 8 starts this year and has a record of 4-2 with an ERA of 3.31. Bradford’s WHIP for the season is .94, and opponents are batting .200 vs. Bradford this year. In his last outing, he took the loss, giving up 2 earned runs in 6 innings of work. Before that, he had given up 3 earned runs in three straight outings. Bradford has allowed at least one homer in each of his last three starts.
Corey Seager has been swinging a hot bat of late for the Rangers, going 11/34 in his last eight games with two homers and six RBIs. Seager is the team’s leader in batting average for the season at .277 and also leads the team with 74 RBIs and 30 homers, which is 6th in the league. Adolis Garcia is 2nd on the team with 21 homers but is batting just .221 for the season.
As a team, the Rangers are 23rd in the league in scoring at 4.1 runs per game. They are also just 26th in home runs and have a collective batting average of .238, which is 15th in the MLB. Overall, their team OPS of .682 is 21st in the league.
- The Rangers are 6-4 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Rangers are 1-4 vs. the run line.
- Texas has an over/under record of 3-7 in their last ten games.
- The Rangers have an average of 2.6 runs per game over their last five games.
- Across their last ten home games, the Rangers are 5-5
- Looking back across the Rangers last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
- Texas has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
- In their ten most recent road games, the Rangers have averaged 4.5 runs per game on offense
A’s and Rangers Shift Focus to 2025 as Season Winds Down
As the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers approach the final stretch of the 2024 season, both teams are already looking ahead to 2025. These last games have become opportunities for growth, evaluation, and laying the groundwork for the future. On Saturday night, the A’s will aim to keep their recent momentum going as they take on the Rangers in the second game of their three-game series in Arlington, Texas.
A’s Momentum Heading Into September
The Athletics (54-85) have shown noticeable progress in the latter part of the season, especially with a strong August performance. Oakland is 14-11 this month after winning four of its last five games, including a dominant 9-2 victory over the Rangers on Friday night. JJ Bleday led the charge with a three-run home run and four RBIs, while Brent Rooker added two solo homers, and Shea Langeliers chipped in with a two-run blast.
Rooker, who has now set a career-high with 33 home runs, highlighted the team’s recent improvements.
“It shows the progress we’ve made,” Rooker said. “We’ve done a good job throughout the course of the year kind of setting small goals for ourselves to achieve. Super proud of our guys the way we competed the last two months. And obviously, we want to continue that moving forward and do it again in September.”
The A’s have hit 15 home runs in their last four games, showcasing their offensive firepower as they look to build momentum heading into next season.
Rangers Eye 2025, Prepare to Give Young Players a Chance
The Rangers (65-73), who saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Friday, are now 10 1/2 games out of the final American League wild-card spot, effectively ending their postseason hopes. With the playoffs out of reach, Texas is shifting its focus to evaluating talent for the future.
Rangers general manager Chris Young mentioned that the team would begin adjusting playing time, giving more opportunities to younger players and prospects.
“I think playing time may shift a little bit,” Young said. “There may be some guys that, to this point, haven’t gotten as much playing time. They may get more at-bats and see different positions that they haven’t played yet—or consistently played.”
Among the prospects who could see action once rosters expand on Sunday are infielder Justin Foscue and pitcher Owen White, both expected to play key roles in the Rangers’ future.
Saturday’s Pitching Matchup
The Rangers will send left-hander Cody Bradford (4-2, 3.31 ERA) to the mound on Saturday. Bradford, 26, has been solid since returning from a three-month absence due to a stress fracture in his ribs. He boasts a 2.49 ERA in eight starts this season, including five since his return. In his most recent outing, Bradford allowed just one run on three hits over six innings in a 4-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians.
Bradford has fared well against the A’s this season, holding them scoreless over 7 2/3 innings in two appearances (one start).
“He’s a man,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said of Bradford. “The way he competes, the way he prepares, the maniacal focus he has out there. He’s such a mature young man.”
The Athletics will counter with rookie right-hander Joey Estes (6-6, 4.37 ERA), who has been impressive in the second half of the season. Estes, 22, allowed two runs on two hits over 5 2/3 innings in a 4-3 win against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. He has been particularly strong in his last eight games (seven starts), posting a 3-2 record with a 2.86 ERA.
“I have nothing but trust in him when he takes the ball,” said A’s second baseman Zack Gelof. “He’s a bulldog on the mound. No matter how he’s feeling, I always feel like we’re going to get five strong innings from him. He’s just fun to watch.”
Estes will be making his first career appearance against the Rangers.
Match Outlook
As the A’s and Rangers shift their focus to 2025, Saturday’s game is a chance for both teams to assess their young talent and build momentum for the future. With Cody Bradford and Joey Estes on the mound, both clubs will be eager to see how their promising pitchers handle the challenge as they lay the foundation for next season.
The Lean
For an over/under pick, our lean is on the over, as this is projected to be the 6th highest-scoring game of the day. As for who is going to take this one straight up, we have our lean on the Rangers to pick up the win. Texas starter Cody Bradford is 16th among today’s starters in our projections in terms of strikeouts, and Joey Estes is 15th.
