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Athletics vs Rangers

Athletics vs Rangers – MLB Odds & Picks

Written by on August 24, 2020

MLB Betting News

The Oakland Athletics have yet to play a game at the new Globe Life Park in Arlington. They face the Texas Rangers in a four-game set there to open this week. The A’s will be favored on the MLB odds for Tuesday’s matchup.

How to Bet A’s at Rangers MLB Odds & TV Info

  • When: Tuesday, 8:05 PM ET
  • Where: Globe Life Park
  • Probable pitchers (away/home): Sean Manaea/Kyle Gibson
  • TV: MLB Extra Innings
  • Stream/gameday audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
  • Opening MLB Lines: TBA
Why Bet on Oakland

The A’s continue to lead the AL West and closer Liam Hendriks is a Cy Young candidate. His ERA is down to 1.17 and he has nine saves without allowing an earned run since August 8. Hendriks has converted each of his last nine save opportunities, which is the longest such streak of his career.

The A’s are 17-5 in August, tying the team’s win total that month all of last year. The A’s lead the majors in saves this month (10) and rank fifth in ERA (3.48). The 10 saves are second most by an A’s team in August over the last 14 years (11 in 2012). The offense leads the majors in extra base hits, walks, hit by pitches and strikeouts this month.

Oakland batters are hitting .423 this season with the bases loaded with a double, triple, three home runs, 33 RBI and three walks with the bases loaded. They rank second in the majors in home runs and RBI with the bases full and tied for second in hits and extra base hits (5). The three grand slams are one short of the A’s season total from each of the previous two seasons.

Oakland had been one of four teams this year yet to win a game when not homering but then accomplished that feat Sunday vs. the Angels. The A’s are 6-3 in one-run games and the wins and 11-4 in games decided by two runs or fewer.

It’s lefty Sean Manaea (1-2, 6.39) on the mound. Manaea limited the Diamondbacks to one run over 5 1/3 innings in a win Thursday. Manaea gave up nine hard-hit balls over the course of the evening, but five of those turned into outs. The 28-year-old didn’t hurt himself further by issuing no free passes while striking out four.

Manaea allowed three or more runs in each of his first four starts of the season, but he is beginning to trend in the right direction of late — he has pitched at least five innings in his past two outings, allowing four runs (three earned) in 10.1 innings during that two-game stretch

Why Bet on Texas?

The Rangers enter on an MLB-worst eight-game losing streak and will be sellers ahead of the August 31 Trade Deadline. It’s the team’s 5th winless span of at least seven games since the start of 2015, the others from 7/13-22/19 (0-8), 9/13-21/19 (0-7), 6/7-15/18 (0-7), and 9/22-28/17 (0-7). This skid followed a season-best 4-game win streak from 8/11-15.

The three straight series losses were preceded by 3 consecutive series wins, as the club is now 3-6-1 overall in series this season. It lost two of three earlier this month at Oakland.

The Rangers are one of 6 MLB clubs that has yet to be shut out in 2020. Despite having their share of offensive problems at times, the Rangers have the 4th-longest active streak in MLB without being shut out, going 34 straight games since last blanking on 9/20/19 at Oakland.

The Rangers have a few regulars on the injured list, including outfielder Willie Calhoun, shortstop Elvis Andrus and catcher Robinson Chirinos. Calhoun is out with a strained left hamstring and was hitting just .172 this season.

Andrus is dealing with a lower back strain. The 31-year-old has stolen three bases, but also is hitting just .184 with a .484 OPS on the season. Andrus likely returns — without a setback — to the Rangers near the beginning of September. Chirinos is dealing with ankle soreness. Jose Trevino is now sharing catcher duties with Jeff Mathis.

It’s scheduled to be Kyle Gibson (1-2, 4.73) on the mound here. Gibson allowed five runs on six hits, including a grand slam, over five innings in a no-decision Thursday against the Padres. Eric Hosmer hit the slam in the fifth inning. Even without that one swing, the right-hander wasn’t particularly sharp. He is 1-1 with a 6.32 ERA in his past three starts.

Gibson made his best start of 2020 against the A’s on Aug. 5, when he allowed three runs in a season-high six innings while striking out a season-high nine.

Expert Prediction A’s 6, Rangers 5

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