Oakland Athletics vs Texas Rangers Prediction, 9/9/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Oakland Athletics vs Texas Rangers

Date: Saturday, September 9, 2023

Location: Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX

TV: Bally Sports Southwest

Globe Life Field is where the Texas Rangers (76-63) will take on the Oakland Athletics (43-97) on Saturday. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Paul Blackburn and Jon Gray.

The Athletics have tallied 195 doubles as a unit and have hit 147 baseballs out of the stadium. Oakland has a slugging percentage of .371 and have struck out 1,273 times, while being walked on 434 occasions. As a unit, the Oakland Athletics are compiling 3.7 runs per game, which ranks them 30th in MLB. They have 496 runs batted in and 1,033 hits on the campaign, while their team batting average sits at .225. They have tallied 515 runs while having a team OBP of .300.

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They have earned a K/BB ratio of 1.88 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.53. Athletics pitchers have surrendered 187 home runs and also 815 total runs (29th in MLB). Oakland has conceded 1,285 base knocks (9.4 per 9 innings) and 766 earned runs. The Athletics have a team earned run average of 5.61 so far this season (29th in the league), and their staff has struck out 1,123 hitters. They have walked 598 opposing hitters and their FIP sits at 5.07 as a team this season.

The Athletics have sent 467 relievers to the hill for the season. The relief pitchers have inherited 259 runners so far this year with 39.4% of those players earned a run for their team. They have earned 26 saves on the season and have blown 25 out of their 51 chances to get a save. The Athletics relievers have a save rate of 51.0% and has stepped onto the mound in 107 save situations. The bullpen have earned 53 holds over the course of the season (28th in baseball). Athletics relief pitchers have gone to the mound with opponents on base 166 times as well as having 161 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Oakland Athletics have a total of 3,686 putouts thus far, as well as 1,109 assists and 85 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .983 which has them sitting 27th in baseball, and they have twisted 106 double plays. The Athletics have turned 67.5% of balls hit into play into outs in their 11,058 innings, which has them sitting at 27th in pro baseball.

Blackburn (17-21 career mark) sits with a FIP of 4.21 and he has gone up against 1,463 hitters in the majors. He has given up 376 base knocks (10.0 hits per 9 innings) and has 100 walks. His ERA is 4.75 (179 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.404. Blackburn has pitched in 339 innings and has tallied 256 punch outs so far in his career.

The Texas Rangers have tallied a team OBP of .336 and a batting average of .266 over the course of the season. They have struck out on 1,214 occasions (15th in the league) and have tallied 1,287 hits. Texas has accumulated 196 home runs on the year as well as 731 RBIs. The Rangers have a team slugging % of .454 and they earn 5.48 runs per outing (3rd in the league). They have tallied 292 doubles, while taking a walk 492 times and recording 762 runs.

The Texas pitching staff have allowed 623 runs so far this season while having an ERA of 4.31 (592 earned runs relinquished). They have conceded 175 homers and they give up 4.54 runs per 9 innings (17th in the league). The Rangers hold a team WHIP of 1.267 in addition to having a FIP of 4.37 as a squad so far this year. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 8.40 (1,154 strikeouts vs 420 walks). They come in at 11th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 1,145.

Texas has had bullpen pitchers enter the game in 55 save chances and they have tallied 26 saves. They sit at 29th in MLB with a save rate of 47.3%, and they have dispatched 395 relievers to the mound for the season. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 134 times in high leverage situations and on 131 occasions with runners on. Texas bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 29.9% out of 214 inherited runners. With 122 save situations, the Rangers have 66 holds and 29 blown saves.

The Texas Rangers have turned 132 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .989 (4th in pro baseball). The Rangers have 1,235 assists, 54 errors and have earned a total of 3,707 putouts so far this year. In their 11,121 innings on the field, the Rangers have earned a defensive efficiency of 70.3% (5th in the majors).

So far in his MLB career, Gray has given up 1,064 base knocks and he has 1,111 punch outs in 1,099 frames. Gray (68-63 mark in his career) is the owner of a 4.42 earned run average and has conceded 8.7 hits per 9 innings. He has conceded 540 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.303 and having a FIP of 3.9. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.02 and he has faced 4,664 hitters during his career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Oakland

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