Oakland Athletics vs Tampa Bay Rays Betting Pick, Prediction & Preview

• Date: May 28, 2024
• Venue: Tropicana Field
• Starting Pitchers:
  • Mitch Spence - Athletics
  • Zack Littell - Rays

Betting Odds

Oakland Athletics vs Tampa Bay Rays Win Probabilities

Implied Win % in sports betting represent the probability of an outcome as suggested by the betting odds. It's a way for bettors to gauge the likelihood of an event occurring based on the odds offered by sportsbooks.

Projected Win %, also known as projected win probability, is an estimate by ATS.io to determine the likelihood that a team will win a game or event. This projection is often based on various factors such as team performance, statistics, and historical data.

Oakland Athletics vs Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview

On May 28, 2024, the Tampa Bay Rays will face off against the Oakland Athletics at Tropicana Field. The Rays, with a record of 26-28, are having a below-average season, while the Athletics, with a record of 22-33, are struggling with a terrible season. As the home team, the Rays will look to capitalize on their advantage.

The Rays are projected to start right-handed pitcher Zack Littell, who has shown great performance this season. Littell has started 10 games, with a win/loss record of 2-2 and an impressive ERA of 3.42. According to our advanced-stat Power Rankings, Littell is ranked as the #89 best starting pitcher in MLB, indicating that he is above average.

On the other hand, the Athletics are projected to start right-handed pitcher Mitch Spence, who has been struggling this season. Spence has made 13 appearances out of the bullpen, with a win/loss record of 3-2 and an ERA of 4.09. Our advanced-stat Power Rankings consider Spence as one of the worst pitchers in MLB.

In their last game, the Rays played the Royals and emerged victorious with a score of 4-1. They had a closing Moneyline price of -125, indicating that they were expected to have a close game. The Athletics, on the other hand, lost their last game against the Astros with a score of 5-2. They were considered big underdogs with a closing Moneyline price of +150.

The Rays offense ranks as the #25 best in MLB this season, but they excel in team batting average, ranking #9 in the league. They also have a powerful offense, ranking #4 in team home runs and #2 in stolen bases. Meanwhile, the Athletics offense ranks as the #23 best in MLB, with a low team batting average ranking of #30. However, they have a strong ranking of #5 in stolen bases.

According to the projections, the Rays are the favorites to win this game, with a projected win probability of 58%. The Athletics, as underdogs, have a projected win probability of 42%. The Rays have an average implied team total of 4.16 runs, while the Athletics have a very low implied team total of 3.34 runs.

Quick Takes Oakland Athletics:

Considering both his underlying tendencies and the matchup, Mitch Spence is projected to throw 84 pitches in today's game by the leading projection system (THE BAT X) system, which is the 4th-least on the slate today.

• Pitchers who throw relatively few pitches are more likely to get pulled from the game earlier, record fewer outs, and generate fewer strikeouts.

Oakland Athletics batters as a unit rank near the cellar of MLB since the start of last season ( 4th-worst) as it relates to their 88.2-mph average exit velocity.

• Hitting the ball hard increases the chances of either a home run or the ball landing in fair territory for a hit before a fielder can get to it.

Quick Takes Tampa Bay Rays:

Oakland's 3rd-worst outfield defense on the slate creates a favorable matchup for Isaac Paredes, who tends to hit a lot of flyballs.

• This player's skill set matches up well with the opposing team's defensive weakness, which may lead to better-than-usual performance.

Isaac Paredes pulls a lot of his flyballs (44.8% — 100th percentile) and is a great match for the park considering he'll be hitting them towards the league's 6th-shallowest LF fences today.

• This player's skill set matches up particularly well with the park he's in today, which may lead to better-than-usual performance.

Game Trends

• The Tampa Bay Rays have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Under in 33 of their last 47 games (+19.10 Units / 35% ROI)
• The Oakland Athletics have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Under in 16 of their last 23 away games (+8.20 Units / 30% ROI)
• JJ Bleday has hit the Hits Over in 18 of his last 25 games (+6.60 Units / 17% ROI)

Oakland Athletics vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction

Final Score: Oakland Athletics 3.84 vs Tampa Bay Rays 4.5

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