Monday, July 4, 2016

Target Field

For Updated Odds on This Game Click Here

Probable Pitchers: Kendall Graveman vs. Ricky Nolasco

The Oakland Athletics visit Target Field on Monday to play the Minnesota Twins. The probable starters are Kendall Graveman for the Athletics and Ricky Nolasco for the Twins. The opening line for this matchup has Oakland at -105 and Minnesota at -105. The over/under was set at 9.5. The Athletics have a 40-38-3 over/under record and a 42-39-0 run line mark, meaning they cover 52% of the time. The Twins are 37-43-0 against the run line and have a 49-27-4 over/under record. They cover the spread 46% of the time.

The Athletics head into this matchup with a 35-46 record, including 18-21 on the road. Starting pitcher Kendall Graveman has a 3-6 record with an earned run average of 4.84 and a WHIP of 1.54. He has 55 strikeouts over his 80 innings pitched and he has given up 96 hits so far this season. He has allowed 10.8 hits per 9 innings and he has a FIP of 4.94. The bullpen this year has an earned run average of 4.15 and they have given up 279 base hits on the year. Teams are hitting .253 against the bullpen while being struck out 266 times and walking 91 times this season. As a team, Oakland has allowed 9.59 hits per nine innings while striking out 7.6 batters per nine. They are 27th in the league in team earned run average at 4.73. The Athletics pitchers have collectively given up 764 base hits and 377 earned runs. They have allowed 99 home runs this season and they allow 1.2 homers per nine innings as a staff. Oakland as a pitching staff has walked 255 batters and struck out 605. They walk 3.2 men per 9 innings while striking out 7.6 per 9. They have a team WHIP of 1.42 and their FIP as a unit is 4.46.

As a team, Oakland is batting .253, good for 15th in the league while putting together a .267 average away from home. The Athletics hold a .401 team slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .306 which is good for 26th in baseball. They rank 15th in baseball with 8.65 hits per game. Jed Lowrie comes into this game hitting .292 and his on-base percentage is at .347. He has 71 hits this season along with 23 runs scored and 25 runs batted in. He's struck out 41 times and has walked 21 times. Josh Reddick is hitting .321 and he has an on-base percentage of .397. He has totaled 52 hits so far while scoring 21 runs and he's driven in 19. He has walked 21 times and has struck out 24 times. The Athletics have 701 hits, including 129 doubles and 85 home runs. They've stolen 35 bases while they've been thrown out stealing 13 times. Oakland has walked 200 times this season and they've struck out 543 times as a unit. They've left 516 men on base and have a team OPS of .707. They score 4.2 runs per contest and have scored a total of 340 runs so far this year.

Minnesota comes into this matchup with a 16-26 home record and a 26-54 overall mark. With an earned run average of 5.31, Ricky Nolasco has a 3-6 record and a 1.38 WHIP. He has 79 strikeouts over the 96.2 innings he's pitched during which he has given up 114 hits. He has allowed 10.6 hits per nine innings and his FIP stands at 4.03. So far this season the bullpen has an earned run average of 4.49 and they have given up 298 base hits on the year. Teams are hitting .272 against the Twins bullpen while being struck out 272 times and walking 88 times this season. As a team, Minnesota has allowed 10.33 hits per nine innings while striking out 7.6 batters per nine. They are 28th in the league in team earned run average at 5.14. The Twins pitchers as a team have surrendered 812 base knocks and 404 earned runs so far this season. They have given up 114 home runs this year and they give up 1.5 home runs per nine innings as a staff. Minnesota as a staff has walked 215 hitters and struck out 597. They give up a walk 2.7 times per 9 innings while they strike out 7.6 per 9. Their team WHIP is 1.45 while their FIP as a staff is 4.55.

As a team, they are batting .246, good for 20th in the league while putting together a .259 average at home. The Twins hold a .406 team slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .311 which is good for 21st in baseball. They rank 19th in baseball with 8.44 hits per contest. Joe Mauer comes into this matchup batting .262 and he has an OBP of .367. He has 74 hits this year along with 36 runs scored and 26 RBI. He's struck out 57 times and has walked on 47 occasions. Eduardo Nunez is hitting .322 and he has an OBP of .348. He has collected 91 hits so far while he's scored 42 runs and drove in 34. He has earned a walk 10 times and has punched out 40 times. The Twins as a unit have 675 base hits, including 131 doubles and 92 homers. They have 52 stolen bases while they've been thrown out 16 times. Minnesota as a team has walked 241 times this year and they have struck out 694 times. They've had 547 men left on base and have an OPS of .717. They score 4.2 runs per game and have totaled 336 runs so far this season.

Oakland Athletics Betting Trends

The Oakland Athletics are 40-38-3 against the over/under so far this season

The Oakland Athletics are 42-39-0 against the run line so far this season

Minnesota Twins Betting Trends

The Minnesota Twins are 49-27-4 against the over/under so far this season

The Minnesota Twins are 37-43-0 against the run line so far this season

Injuries to Watch

Oakland Athletics

07/01/16 P Sean Doolittle Shoulder 15-day DL (6/26)
05/11/16 P Chris Bassitt Elbow 60-day DL (4/28); out for season
05/11/16 LF Mark Canha Back 60-day DL (5/9), out for season
04/10/16 P Henderson Alvarez Shoulder 60-day DL (4/6)
04/05/16 P Felix Doubront Elbow 60-day DL (4/4); out for season
04/03/16 2B Eric Sogard Shoulder 60-day DL (3/25)
04/01/16 CF Sam Fuld Shoulder 60-day DL (3/25)
03/31/16 P Jarrod Parker Elbow 60-day DL (3/13), out for season
03/31/16 P R.J. Alvarez Elbow 60-day DL (3/25)

Minnesota Twins

07/03/16 SS Eduardo Escobar Hamstring is downgraded to doubtful Sunday vs. Texas Rangers
06/10/16 P Phil Hughes Knee 60-day DL (6/10); out for season
06/10/16 P Trevor May Back 15-day DL (6/10)
05/25/16 RF Darin Mastroianni Oblique 15-day DL (5/22)
04/13/16 P Glen Perkins Shoulder 60-day DL (4/11); out for season

Josh's Pick: Take the Athletics

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here

Read more articles by Josh Schonwald