Athletics vs Rays Prediction and Betting Odds May 2
Athletics vs Rays Betting Preview and Odds
The Athletics hope to have better luck in their series with the Rays as they were just swept at home over the weekend by the Guardians. WagerTalk MLB analyst Brian Ochsner offers his Oakland Athletics vs Tampa Bay Rays betting preview for Monday, May 2, with the first pitch scheduled for 9:40pm ET / 6:40pm PT.
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| Monday, May 2 | MLB Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Moneyline: | Oakland Athletics +147 vs Tampa Bay Rays -157 |
| Runline: | Athletics +1.5 (-125) / Rays -1.5 (+105) |
| Total: | 6.5 Runs (Over -120 / Under +100) |
| Game Time: | 9:40pm ET / 6:40pm PT |
| Where: | RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, CA |
| Weather: | 60 Degrees / 20 MPH Winds |
Athletics vs Rays Analysis
The Tampa Bay Rays visit RingCentral Coliseum to take on the Oakland Athletics in the first of a three-game set. Right-hander Drew Rasmussen takes on Daulton Jeffries. These teams have already played a four-game series this year, where the A’s took three out of four in Tampa.
Tampa Bay Rays Team Preview
The Rays had a rough series at home last weekend, dropping two of three to the Twins and gave up nine runs in each of the two losses. But they still have a 12-10 record on the season and a 14th-best OPS of .699. Pitching has been a big secret to the Rays success over the years, and this one is no different.
They rank 12th in MLB with a 3.40 team ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. After a better than expected 5-5 start to the season, the Athletics still have a decent record at 10-12. However, they haven’t played as well in recent games as they were swept by Cleveland at home last weekend.
They’re starting to look like the team we thought they were before the season started: A scrappy, undermanned squad that’ll struggle to score runs and win games.
Oakland Athletics Team Preview
One of the bright spots for Oakland is starting pitcher Daulton Jeffries who has good numbers over his first four starts. In 19.1 innings of work, he’s compiled a 3.26 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP and only given up five walks and two home runs.
He isn’t an overpowering pitcher who will get a lot of strikeouts, but can pitch well enough to avoid most big mistakes.
The bullpen has respectable stats through April as they have a 13th-best ERA of 3.22, but a higher WHIP than I’d like to see at 1.31.
The A’s hitting… well, that’s another story. Oakland has a 27th-best OPS of .619 and a meager .211 team batting average. Their pitching has to be on point most nights to give them the best chance to win.
Athletics vs Rays Prediction
Both teams have struggled to score runs lately… both starting pitchers shouldn’t give up a lot of runs… and they’re in the pitcher-friendly confines of RingCentral Coliseum.
The Rays are just 5-13 as run line favorites this season, and the A’s will be eager to try and snap their three-game home losing skid. This should be a close, competitive game and that’s why I’ll take the A’s on the run line.
Prediction: Oakland Athletics +1.5 Run Line
Interested in placing a bet on Monday’s Athletics vs Rays 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 May 2
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 Marlins and Diamondbacks play an intriguing game tonight as two of the best early season pitchers go at it in Pablo Lopez (0.39 ERA) and Zac Gallen (0.60 ERA). Who gets the edge? 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 Rays 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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