Athletics vs Yankees | MLB Game Preview

The AL West-leading Oakland A’s have been playing better than anyone in June but begin a very tough road trip Friday night with a visit to the New York Yankees. Oakland seems to never win in the Bronx, regular season or playoffs. The Yanks are slight favorites on the MLB odds.

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

When: Friday, 7:05 PM ET
Where: Yankee Stadium
Probable pitchers (away/home): James Kaprielian/Jameson Taillon
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 enter this series on a six-game winning streak and swept the visiting Los Angeles Angels in a three-game set to open this week – winning every game by at least two runs.

Terrific outfielder Ramón Laureano hit a home run and made a homer-robbing catch in his return from the injured list in Wednesday’s win. Laureano, who missed 17 games with a strained right hip, perfectly timed his jump to reach over the fence and catch Justin Upton’s flyball in the fourth. It was the fifth homer-saving grab in his career. In the bottom of the fourth, Laureano connected for his 12th homer of the year. It was a strong return to action for Laureano, who’d been out since May 27 with a hip injury. On the season, Laureano’s hitting .255 with 12 homers, eight steals, 23 RBI and 31 runs through 49 games.

Matt Olson went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in Wednesday’s 8-4 win over the Angels. All three hits were singles, but he still extended his current hitting streak to five games, a stretch during which he’s gone 11-for-20 (.550). On the season, Olson is batting .297 with 18 homers and 48 RBI through 63 contests, putting him on pace for a career-best campaign.

It’s young right-hander James Kaprielian (3-1) on the mound here. He was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas May 12 and is scheduled to make his seventh start of the season and his career. He has allowed two runs or fewer in five of his six starts and five hits or fewer in all six starts. His 2.51 ERA is fifth lowest ERA among AL rookies with 30 or more innings. The rookie has been particularly tough against right-handed batters, holding them to a .131 batting average.

Kaprielian has never faced the Yankees in his career. He was the Yankees’ first round draft pick in 2015 but pitched in just eight games over his first four years as a professional. He missed most of 2016 with an elbow injury and then missed the entire 2017 and 2018 seasons following April 18, 2017 “Tommy John” surgery and was traded to the A’s with Dustin Fowler and Jorge Mateo at the 2017 trading deadline for Sonny Gray.

Why Bet on NY Yankees?

The Yankees have won or split 12 of their last 16 completed series since April 20 (9-4-3). New York’s bullpen ERA if 3.10 is the fourth-lowest in the majors and the second-lowest in the AL. Their .209 opponents’ BA is the third lowest in the majors and the best in the AL. Veteran closer Aroldis Chapman has 14 saves with a 1.78 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 45:11 K:BB through 25.1 innings on the year.

First baseman and reigning MLB home-run king Luke Voit remains on an injury rehab assignment but is getting close to activation. The slugger has been on the IL since May 27 with a right oblique strain. The injury was especially a surprise after Voit missed the start of the season, not playing until May 11 thanks to recovery from left meniscus surgery. Voit won’t play here but could return by Sunday. He’s played just 12 games this season. DJ LeMahieu and Chris Gittens have been filling in at first base for Voit.

It’s Jameson Taillon (1-4) on the mound. Taillon allowed four earned runs on five hits and one walk while recording just one out in the first inning of last Saturday’s loss to the Phillies. He did not record a strikeout and did not factor in the decision. Taillon surrendered four straight hits and a walk to start the bottom of the first inning and allowed six of the first seven batters to reach base. The Yankees rallied back late to take the 29-year-old off the hook for the loss in the worst start of his career. The two-time Tommy John surgery recipient now owns a ghastly 5.74 ERA.

“I hear from a lot of people that are like, ‘Dude, shake it off, keep getting better, you’re coming off your second Tommy John,’ but I feel super healthy,” Taillon said. “I feel like I’m in a fine place, so I don’t think that has as much to do with it. I’ve thrown a lot of quality things in the big leagues before. I know how to do it. So I wouldn’t say it has anything to do with my elbow.”

Twenty-six American League pitchers have made at least 12 starts this season and Taillon’s ERA is the third highest. He’s pitched through the fifth in just half of his outings and worked at least six just once. For the season, when Taillon reaches two strikes on a hitter, they have a slash line of 233/.282/.338 against him. The overall AL line is .167/.242/.270.

Taillon has never faced Oakland. He is 1-1 with a 3.22 ERA at home this year compared to 0-3 with an 11.12 ERA on the road.