The Oakland Athletics are prepared to battle against the Boston Red Sox at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. NBC Sports – California will broadcast this AL matchup and the action gets underway at 9:05 p.m. ET.
Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics Odds
Oakland (+150) is coming into this one as the underdog to Boston (-160) and oddsmakers have put the Over/Under for this game at 6.5 runs. The odds for betting on the game’s total sit at -125 for the under and +105 for the over. Runline odds stand at -110 for taking the Red Sox -1.5 runs and -110 for the Athletics +1.5 runs.
The Athletics are 9-11 SU and 8-11 ATS. The team has lost 1.6 units for moneyline bettors and 4.7 units against the spread (ATS). Oakland has a 3-4 ATS mark over its last seven games and the total has gone over in six of those seven. The Red Sox are 17-2 SU and have gone 11-7 ATS. In total, the team’s gained 13.9 units for bettors taking the moneyline in the season’s early going and 4.8 units ATS. Boston has covered the spread in each of its last seven games and the over has hit in five of those seven.
Oakland games have an 11-7-1 over/under record thus far in 2018. The Red Sox have an over/under record of 11-6-1.
Chris Sale will get the nod for the BoSox. The southpaw Sale is 1-0 with a 1.23 ERA and 31 strikeouts. He has yet to face the Athletics this year and only made one start against them in 2017 (0-0, 2.57 ERA and 10 strikeouts across seven innings).
The Athletics are putting the ball in the hands of lefty Sean Manaea (2-2, 1.63 ERA), who has 20 strikeouts and four walks, as well as a WHIP of 0.72. Manaea made two starts against the team in 2017, posting a 1-1 record in 2017, compiling a 1-1 record with a 9.35 ERA.
As a unit, Oakland’s pitching staff has given up 5.3 runs per game overall this season. The club’s starters have a 5.30 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 7.0 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 3.99 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 7.0 K/9.
Oakland’s offense has put up 5.3 runs per outing, including 6.4 per game over its last 10 games and 7.0 per game over its last five. The team has slashed .286/.386/.450 over its last five matchups and is 4-1 SU during that stretch.
The Athletics’ offense has been led by second baseman Jed Lowrie and third baseman Matt Chapman. Lowrie is hitting .372/.426/.640 with six home runs, 22 RBIs and 12 runs scored, and Chapman is hitting .293 with five homers, 13 RBIs and 17 runs scored.
Chapman enjoyed hitting at home last season, slashing .284/.352/.541 across 165 plate appearances (his overall season line was .234/.313/.472).
In the other dugout, Boston’s pitching staff allowed 2.8 runs per game and its starters own a 2.17 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 9.81 K/9. The bullpen has logged an ERA of 3.31, along with a WHIP of 1.08.
The Red Sox offense has slashed .293/.364/.497 on its way to 6.5 runs scored per game this year, including 8.1 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 7.4 per game over the team’s last five outings (5-0 SU).
Boston’s offensive production been led by Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez. Betts is slashing .382/.469/.765 with six home runs, 14 RBIs and 23 runs scored, while Martinez (.338/.365/.618) is up to four homers, 15 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
Maintaining a slash line of .306/.412/.516 across 148 plate appearances, Betts seemed to enjoy hitting left-handed pitching last year (compared to his total season line of .264/.344/.459).
The Red Sox have gained 2.1 units and are 1-1 ATS when facing a left-handed starting pitcher this season. The over has cashed in one of those games, as opposed to one that’ve hit the under in such games. On the other hand, the Athletics have lost 4.4 units and are 2-4 ATS when facing a lefty starter. The over has cashed in two of those games, compared to three that went under the total.
Boston Red Sox at Oakland Athletics Free MLB Tip
Predictions: SU Winner – Red Sox, ATS Winner – Red Sox, O/U – OVER
Notes
Betting Notes
The Red Sox have hit 19 home runs in their last 10 games, including 13 over their last five.
Oakland has recorded 26.6 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 games and 28.6 over its last five.
The Red Sox have won 17 of their last 18 games SU.
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