Tampa Bay (96-66) at Oakland (97-65)
When: Wednesday, October 2nd 2019
Where: RingCentral Coliseum,
Oakland, CA
Time: 8:09 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Oakland -130/8
If the American League Wild Card game is as half as exciting as the NL contest last night, we’re in for another treat. The Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics are both hoping for an easier time than the Brewers and Nationals had as they take the field for the right to play the Houston Astros later this week. The A’s have been here before – last year in fact – when they lost to the New York Yankees on the road. This time, they’ll be playing at home where they own a 52-29 mark and will be looking to snap an eight-game losing streak in winner-take-all games. The Rays, who have the second-best road record in the league (48-33), are in the postseason for the first time since losing to Boston in the 2013 ALDS and will have veteran Charlie Morton on the mound opposite Sean Manaea. Oakland won the season series 4-3 and all seven games took place in a two-week span back in June. The teams split the two games at the Coliseum with Morton starting one of the losses. Matt Olson and Matt Chapman tied for the team lead with 36 homers and Olson hit three blasts against Tampa Bay this year while Austin Meadows led the way for the Rays with team highs of 33 homers and 89 RBIs.
Pitchers: Rays – Charlie Morton (16-6, 3.05 ERA) | Athletics – Sean Manaea (4-0, 1.21)
With Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow injured for parts of the season, Morton carried the load with honors and has plenty of big game experience. He allowed two or fewer runs in 22 of 33 starts and was 8-3 with a 3.59 ERA on the road. Morton, who pitched the final four innings to get the win in Game 7 of the World Series with Houston in 2017, is 1-0 with a 0.68 ERA in two starts against Oakland this season.
Manaea missed an entire year after undergoing shoulder surgery, but has come back strong since his return on September 1st, posting a perfect 4-0 record and 1.21 ERA in five starts. He went 12-9 with a 3.59 ERA in 27 starts last season. Manaea has started three games against Tampa Bay, winning two of them while allowing six earned runs over 20 innings.
Tampa has the slight starting pitcher edge, but don’t discount Manaea. He’s been terrific since coming back and he has a very good bullpen behind him, posting a 1.85 ERA collectively over their last 10 games. The A’s have a slightly better lineup and a big advantage at home. I’ll take Oakland to win a close one.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for Wednesday. He finished 135-95 +2686 units in the regular season!
Pick: A’s -130
BETTING TRENDS:
Rays are 8-1 in their last 9 during game 1 of a series.
Rays are 6-1 in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
Rays are 4-1 in their last 5 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Rays are 4-1 in their last 5 games following an off day.
Rays are 62-26 in their last 88 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Rays are 37-18 in their last 55 overall.
Rays are 31-66 in their last 97 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Rays are 4-9 in their last 13 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
Rays are 2-6 in their last 8 playoff games.
Rays are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
Rays are 6-0 in Morton’s last 6 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Rays are 5-0 in Morton’s last 5 starts.
Rays are 5-1 in Morton’s last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Rays are 4-1 in Morton’s last 5 Wednesday starts.
Rays are 4-1 in Morton’s last 5 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Rays are 5-2 in Morton’s last 7 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Rays are 11-5 in Morton’s last 16 road starts.
Rays are 1-4 in Morton’s last 5 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Athletics are 4-0 in their last 4 Wednesday games.
Athletics are 7-1 in their last 8 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
Athletics are 26-6 in their last 32 games following a loss.
Athletics are 13-3 in their last 16 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Athletics are 4-1 in their last 5 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Athletics are 10-3 in their last 13 games following an off day.
Athletics are 11-4 in their last 15 vs. American League East.
Athletics are 20-8 in their last 28 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Athletics are 10-4 in their last 14 vs. a team with a winning record.
Athletics are 7-3 in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Athletics are 45-21 in their last 66 home games.
Athletics are 38-18 in their last 56 overall.
Athletics are 38-18 in their last 56 games on grass.
Athletics are 41-20 in their last 61 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Athletics are 0-4 in their last 4 playoff games.
Athletics are 4-0 in Manaea’s last 4 starts.
Athletics are 4-0 in Manaea’s last 4 starts on grass.
Athletics are 6-1 in Manaea’s last 7 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Athletics are 8-2 in Manaea’s last 10 home starts.
Athletics are 4-1 in Manaea’s last 5 Wednesday starts.
Athletics are 5-11 in Manaea’s last 16 starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Athletics are 1-4 in Manaea’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 5-0 in Rays last 5 games following a loss.
Over is 5-0 in Rays last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 5-1 in Rays last 6 Wednesday games.
Over is 4-1 in Rays last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
Over is 12-3-1 in Rays last 16 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 4-1 in Rays last 5 on grass.
Under is 4-1 in Rays last 5 overall.
Over is 4-1 in Rays last 5 playoff road games.
Over is 15-5-1 in Rays last 21 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 9-3 in Rays last 12 vs. American League West.
Over is 20-7 in Rays last 27 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 9-4-1 in Rays last 14 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
Over is 4-0 in Morton’s last 4 starts on grass.
Over is 4-0 in Morton’s last 4 road starts.
Over is 5-0 in Morton’s last 5 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Over is 5-0-1 in Morton’s last 6 starts vs. American League West.
Over is 5-1 in Morton’s last 6 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Over is 4-1 in Morton’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 4-1 in Morton’s last 5 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 5-2 in Morton’s last 7 Wednesday starts.
Over is 5-2 in Morton’s last 7 starts during game 1 of a series.
Over is 5-2 in Morton’s last 7 starts overall.
Under is 6-0 in Athletics last 6 on grass.
Under is 4-0 in Athletics last 4 Wednesday games.
Under is 3-0-1 in Athletics last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 5-0-1 in Athletics last 6 playoff home games.
Under is 4-0 in Athletics last 4 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 4-0 in Athletics last 4 games following a loss.
Under is 6-0 in Athletics last 6 overall.
Under is 5-0-1 in Athletics last 6 vs. American League East.
Over is 5-1-1 in Athletics last 7 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 4-1-1 in Athletics last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Over is 4-1 in Athletics last 5 playoff games.
Under is 6-2 in Athletics last 8 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 18-7-2 in Athletics last 27 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 5-2 in Athletics last 7 games following an off day.
Under is 39-19-2 in Athletics last 60 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 6-1 in Manaea’s last 7 Wednesday starts.
Under is 5-1 in Manaea’s last 6 starts on grass.
Under is 5-1 in Manaea’s last 6 starts overall.
Over is 4-1 in Manaea’s last 5 starts with 5 days of rest.
Over is 4-1 in Manaea’s last 5 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 5-2 in Manaea’s last 7 home starts.
Over is 7-3-2 in Manaea’s last 12 starts vs. American League East.
Under is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings in Oakland.
Under is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.
