Oakland Athletics vs. Texas Rangers 8/30/24 – This Friday, as the Oakland Athletics take on the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field, we’ll analyze the statistics and trends to bring you free MLB picks and parlays. The Athletics are at 58-76 this season, and that is why they are set to contest with the Texas rangers, who have a slightly better season of 63-71. This is a crucial game for both teams as they are sub-500, and hence, this game will serve as a stepping stone going into the last phase of the season.
Oakland Athletics vs. Texas Rangers 8/30/24 Game Info |
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| When: | Friday, August 30, 2024, at 8:05 PM ET |
| Where: | Globe Life Field |
| TV: | – |
| Stream: | MLB.TV |
Oakland Athletics (58-76) vs. Texas Rangers (63-71)
The Oakland Athletics are a team that has several bright spots in spite of a poor win-loss record all season long. Presently, the team’s batting average is .232 and on-base percentage is .304. This indicates that there is a tendency for the team to be weak at the plate which may prove critical in this game. In addition, the team’s slugging percentage of .394 and 166 home runs reveal that there is a great deal of potential even in those instances when the contact is made. As they face the Rangers, an interesting dynamic to watch will be their performance against right-handed pitchers, similar to the upcoming Kansas City Royals vs Houston Astros game today.
On the other hand, the Texas Rangers team performance wise is slightly better as they have a batting average of .238 and an on-base percentage of .305. Although their season slugging percentage at .377, lower than Oakland, with 140 home runs all of this season, shows that the team works hard on both offense and defense. This strategic offensive gameplay is something they might leverage, especially looking into strategies similar to those seen in the upcoming New York Mets and Chicago White Sox game today.
JP Sears (10-9, 4.35 ERA) vs. Jon Gray (5-5, 4.32 ERA)
JP Sears of the Athletics is hopeful there will be more consistency and depth to the pitching unit. He possesses a WHIP of 1.22 and, over 144.2 innings pitched, manages to record 113 strikeouts, which shows that he is not a helpless pitcher but rather one who plays a game of control. Given this, with hindsight, he has surrendered 21 home runs, and this letdown may worry him against the prospect of the Rangers’ hitters. Sears has been trusted under demanding conditions before but this will be quite different as lives may depend on the speed and the outcome of the game on his shoulders.
Over on the other side of the field, Jon Gray steps up for the Rangers and posts a balanced 5-5 record with a 4.32 ERA on the season. Jon Gray, over the 98-inning stretch, has tried hard to take down batters and possesses a WHIP that might seem on the larger scale at 1.33, consisting of 104 hits and 26 walks, which shows control issues. His presence at the mound will also help him as he has started accumulating plenty of strikeouts (81 this season) so far, even with the frustrations of the season with the Athletics up against him.
MLB Odds/Point Spread: Texas Rangers -1.5 +144, Total Odds: 8.5
The current betting odds favor the Texas Rangers with a -1.5 point spread, and the total for the game is set at 8.5. The Rangers being favored is reflective of their slightly better season record and their historical performance against the Athletics.
Oakland Athletics Betting Trends
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Oakland’s last 12 games, which might influence bettors to consider the under for this matchup. Despite this, Oakland’s games on the road have tended to hit the OVER in 6 of their last 7, suggesting that their offense tends to perform better away from home.
Texas Rangers Betting Trends
The Rangers have seen the total go UNDER in 4 of their last 5 games, consistent with their season trend of lower-scoring games, especially at home. Their 5-2 SU record in their last 7 games shows some resilience and capability to close out games, which could be pivotal in this matchup.
Oakland Athletics vs. Texas Rangers 8/30/24 Betting Picks
In terms of the recent forms and trends of both the teams involved, it can be reasonably stated that it will be a tight encounter, with the killings being a key factor. The lone distinguishing factor is that the Rangers have a better overall record and home-court advantage. As for prop bets, focusing on modifiers would be a good strategy, due to the unpredictability of the pitching of both teams.
To sum up, even if the Rangers are tipped to win, they should keep a very careful watch on the Athletics since they are the ones who might pull an upset. Looking forward to the best pick, perhaps the Rangers can be relied upon to cover the spread and the total market likely points towards the UNDER. Handicapping expert advice will, however, also advise that match variables like pitcher rest and amount of bullpen use should be monitored since they are likely to affect the match outcome in the latter period.