Oakland Athletics vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 4/9/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Oakland Athletics vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Sunday, April 9, 2023

Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

TV: Bally Sports Sun

Tropicana Field is the site where the Tampa Bay Rays (6-0) will go up against the Oakland Athletics (2-4) on Sunday. The pitchers who are expected to start will be James Kaprielian and Drew Rasmussen.

As a squad, the Oakland Athletics are earning 3.7 runs per game, which has them at 22nd in MLB. They have 22 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .283. The Athletics have tallied 10 two-baggers as a team and have knocked 6 baseballs out of the stadium. They have accrued 21 RBI's and 40 base knocks this season, while their average at the plate sits at .201. Oakland has a slugging % of .342 and have struck out 52 times, while drawing a walk on 22 occasions.

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The Athletics have a team ERA of 5.79 on the campaign (27th in the league), and their staff has rung up 47 batters. They have walked 27 players from the other team and their FIP is 4.55 as a squad this season. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 1.74 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.55. Athletics pitchers have surrendered 6 home runs and also 41 total runs (27th in the league).

The Athletics have sent 21 relief pitchers to the hill this season. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 6 base runners over the course of the season and 66.7% of them ended up crossing the plate. They have tallied 1 save this season and have not converted 1 out of their 2 save opportunities. The Athletics relievers have earned a save percentage of 50.0% and has stepped onto the mound in 4 save situations. The relievers have a total of 2 holds on the season (22nd in MLB). Athletics relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on base 6 times and also have had 9 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Oakland Athletics have earned 168 putouts so far this season, as well as 52 assists and 8 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .965 which has them sitting 30th in MLB, and they have twisted 4 double plays. The Athletics have transformed 65.5% of baseballs in play into outs out of 504 innings, which has them ranked 25th in pro baseball.

Kaprielian (13-14 record in his career) holds a FIP of 4.58 while facing 1,120 opposing batters in the major leagues. He has surrendered 237 hits (8.1 hits per nine innings) with 104 free passes. His earned run average is 4.29 (125 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.302. Kaprielian has taken the hill for 262 innings and has accounted for 230 punch outs so far in his pro baseball career.

The Rays hold a team SLG% of .542 and they tally 7.33 runs per contest (1st in baseball). They have recorded 13 two-baggers, while walking 19 times and earning 44 runs. Tampa Bay has 13 home runs this season and 43 RBIs. They have been rung up on 44 occasions (27th in baseball) and have 57 base hits. The Tampa Bay Rays have an OBP of .348 as well as a team batting average of .284 on the season.

The Rays hold a team WHIP of 1.019 and are the owners of a FIP of 2.77 as a staff on the campaign. They have a ranking of 3rd in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 40. The Tampa Bay pitching staff have surrendered 13 runs over the course of the season while having an ERA of 2.00 (12 earned runs relinquished). They have earned a K/BB ratio of 3.40 (51 strikeouts vs 15 walks). They have given up 2 long balls and they relinquish 2.17 runs per 9 innings (3rd in the league).

Tampa Bay relievers have an inherited score percentage of 0.0% out of 4 inherited base runners. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 2 times in high leverage situations and on 2 occasions with base runners. Sitting with 3 save situations, the Rays have accumulated 3 holds in addition to 0 blown saves. They rank 30th in the league holding a save rate of 0.0%, and they have dispatched 19 bullpen pitchers to the mound for the season. Tampa Bay has had bullpen pitchers step onto the mound in 0 save chances and they have come away with 0 saves.

The Tampa Bay Rays have turned 6 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .986 (16th in MLB). The Rays have 49 assists, 3 errors and have accounted for 162 putouts over the course of the season. Out of their 486 innings played, the Rays have a defensive efficiency of 72.3% (8th in professional baseball).

In his career, Rasmussen has allowed 197 base hits and he has 226 punch outs in 243 frames. He has conceded 80 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.077 and a FIP of 3.2. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.48 and he has gone up against 982 opposing batters so far in his career. Rasmussen (17-8 record in his career) holds a 2.96 earned run average while giving up 7.3 hits per 9 innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Oakland

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