Athletics vs Orioles Prediction and Betting Odds April 18
Athletics vs Orioles Betting Preview
After ten straight road games on the east coast, the Oakland Athletics will finally have their home opener against the Baltimore Orioles tonight. The A’s went 5-5 in those games as they send Frankie Montas to the mound for tonight’s matchup. WagerTalk MLB analyst Brian Ochsner offers his Athletics vs Orioles betting preview, with the first pitch scheduled for 9:40pm ET / 6:40pm PT.
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| Monday, April 18 | MLB Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Moneyline: | Oakland Athletics -190 vs Baltimore Orioles +170 |
| Runline: | Athletics -1.5 (+120) / Orioles +1.5 (-140) |
| Total: | 7.5 Runs (Over -105 / Under -115) |
| Game Time: | 9:40pm ET / 6:40pm PT |
| Where: | RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, CA |
| Weather: | 55 Degrees / 80% Chance of Light Rain / Wind Gusts of 20 MPH |
Athletics vs Orioles Analysis
The Baltimore Orioles visit RingCentral Coliseum to face the Oakland Athletics in the first of a three-game set, and the A’s home opener. Right-handers Spenser Watkins and Frankie Montas get the start.
Orioles Surprising Many With Top 5 Team ERA
While the Orioles are off to a slow start at 3-6, their pitching has been really good to begin the season. Their staff has a 5th-best team ERA of 3.04 and a decent (but not great) WHIP of 1.29.
They took two of three games at home from the Yankees last weekend, and held the Bronx Bombers to a combined six runs. Now they fly across the country to face the Athletics.
Their staff will have to be good with their lineup not producing to start the year. The O’s have a 4th-worst .597 OPS and a meager .206 batting average.
Starter Spenser Watkins had an okay opening start against the Brewers, giving up four runs and four hits in three innings of work.
Athletics Need to Limit Amount of Home Runs Allowed
The A’s start the year 5-5 and have exceeded expectations after letting go of some of their best players. Frankie Montas had a rough opening start against the Phillies, but had a better performance against Tampa Bay, giving up five hits and one earned run in 6.1 innings with six strikeouts.
Hitting hasn’t been terrible, as the A’s sport a 20th-best .667 OPS but an unimpressive .224 team batting average.
The Athletics hurlers have a 19th-best team ERA of 4.05 and a WHIP of 1.36. The staff has had a problem with the long ball, giving up 13 bombs (tied for 3rd-worst in MLB) star the season.
Although their stats haven’t been that impressive, their competitiveness has, This probably won’t be enough for them to compete for a playoff spot, but will help them stay in a lot of games this year, and could possibly flirt with the .500 mark.
Athletics vs Orioles Prediction
Both the Orioles and A’s play a similar brand of baseball, relying on solid pitching and good defense to keep them in games – even if their bats are struggling.
It’s the first game in RingCentral Coliseum for both teams – more of a pitcher-friendly park – and it’ll take hitters a little time to adjust. Although Watkins isn’t a great major league pitcher, I think he can do well enough and/or get pulled soon enough before giving up a lot of runs.
With their lack of offensive punch, the Orioles know they have to keep games close to the later innings to have a realistic chance to win. 1st 5 innings moneyline is too expensive at -200, that’s why I like the 1st 5 innings under the total at a better price.
Prediction: First 5 Innings Under the Total
Interested in placing a bet on Monday’s Athletics vs Orioles American League clash? Caesars Sports is offering up to a $1,500 match bet for first-time deposits in New Jersey, West Virginia, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, New York and Louisiana.
First Pitch | MLB Betting Preview for April 18
Join Drew Martin and a rotating panel of guests for First Pitch as we break down the daily baseball slate from a betting perspective. The Mets and Giants have each gotten off to nice starts, with each team winning their first three respective series. Who holds the upper hand when they meet in Queens this week? Join WagerTalk’s team of MLB betting experts every weekday at 1:45pm ET / 10:45am PT for First Pitch as we discuss the baseball betting slate.
WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s Live Odds Screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the MLB moneylines, run lines and betting percentages for all of Monday’s baseball games, including this Athletics vs Orioles showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Brian Ochsner graduated from Kansas State University with degrees in Accounting and Agribusiness. He’s a life-long baseball fan and “numbers guy” who tolerates the Colorado Rockies (bad ownership), and is a Denver Broncos and Kansas State Wildcats fan. Along with his interest in the sports wagering industry, he enjoys eating good BBQ, reading books on marketing, finance and economics, and playing Texas Hold ‘Em poker.
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