Cleveland Guardians vs Oakland Athletics Prediction, 3/28/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cleveland Guardians vs Oakland Athletics

Date: Thursday, March 28, 2024

Location: Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

Odds/Point Spread: Cleveland (-185) Oakland (+150)

The Cleveland Guardians (76-86 last year) are traveling to Oakland Coliseum on Thursday where they will attempt to defeat the Oakland Athletics (50-112 last season). The odds on this game have the Guardians at -185 and the Athletics are at +150. The over/under has been set at 7.5. The expected starting pitchers will be Shane Bieber and Alex Wood.

The Guardians hit 294 two-baggers as a team and knocked 124 baseballs out of the park. Cleveland had a slugging % of .381 and struck out 1,142 times, while taking a walk on 471 occasions. As a unit, the Cleveland Guardians compiled 4.1 runs per outing, which had them at 27th in baseball. They amassed 622 runs batted in and 1,379 hits in the previous season, while their team batting average finished at .250. They earned 662 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .313.

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The Guardians compiled a team ERA of 3.99 over the course of the prior season (10th in MLB), and the staff rung up 1,311 hitters. Guardians pitchers surrendered 173 home runs in addition to 697 runs in total (8th in baseball). Their pitching staff walked 534 opposing batters and their FIP finished at 4.21 as a unit over the course of last season. Cleveland relinquished 1,353 base hits (8.4 per 9 innings) and also 640 earned runs. They accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.46 and their pitching staff held a WHIP of 1.31.

The Guardians relief pitchers had a save rate of 58.0% and stepped onto the mound in 189 save situations. The relief pitchers inherited 196 base runners over the course of last year and 24.5% of them crossed home plate. Guardians bullpen pitchers entered the contest with players on base 137 times and also had 190 games in high leverage situations. The Guardians sent 545 relief pitchers to the mound over the course of last year. The relief pitchers had a total of 103 holds over the course of last season (3rd in baseball). They accumulated 47 saves for the prior year and blew 34 out of their 81 chances to get a save.

The Guardians turned 69.7% of balls hit into play into outs out of 12,996 innings on the field, which had them sitting at 11th in the majors. The Cleveland Guardians earned 4,332 putouts for the prior year, as well as 1,418 assists and 82 errors. Their fielding rate was at .986 which put them in 15th in baseball, and accumulated 119 double plays.

Bieber (60-32 record in his career) holds a FIP of 3.13 while going up against 3,370 hitters during his time in the majors. He has conceded 742 hits (8.0 hits per nine innings) and has had 187 walks. His ERA is 3.27 (302 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.118. Bieber has taken the hill for 831 innings and has earned 938 strikeouts during his MLB career.

The Oakland Athletics tallied a team on-base percentage of .298 as well as a batting average of .223 over the course of last season. They struck out on 1,496 occasions (6th in baseball) and had a total of 1,187 base knocks. Oakland knocked in 171 HRs over the course of last season in addition to 563 RBIs. The Athletics held a team slugging % of .370 and they were earning 3.61 runs per contest (30th in the league). They notched 225 two-baggers, while walking 498 times and putting up 585 runs.

The Oakland pitching staff yielded 924 runs over the course of last year while having an ERA of 5.49 (865 earned runs relinquished). They conceded 213 HR's and they relinquished 5.86 runs per 9 innings (29th in MLB). The Athletics had a team WHIP of 1.521 with a FIP of 5.05 as a team last year. They had a K/BB ratio of 8.20 (1,300 strikeouts vs 694 bases on balls). They were ranked 27th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 1,464.

Oakland relievers had an inherited score percentage of 39.7% of 282 inherited base runners. Their bullpen pitchers stepped onto the mound 171 times in high leverage situations in addition to 179 occasions with runners on base. Wrapping up the year with 119 save situations, the Athletics had 61 holds and 26 blown saves. They were ranked 27th in the league with a save percentage of 52.7%, and they sent 532 bullpen pitchers to the mound last season. Oakland called on bullpen pitchers to enter the game in 55 save opportunities and they recorded 29 saves.

Out of their 12,777 innings on the field, the Athletics earned a defensive efficiency of 67.8% (27th in professional baseball). The Oakland Athletics turned 124 double plays and held a fielding percentage of .982 (29th in MLB). The Athletics accrued 1,269 assists, 102 errors and earned a total of 4,259 putouts last year.

Wood (76-65 career win-loss record) has a 3.74 earned run average while allowing 8.6 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.21 and he has gone up against 5,115 opposing hitters so far in his career. He has given up a total of 506 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.243 and having a FIP of 3.6. In his career, Wood has surrendered 1,160 hits while earning 1,140 strikeouts in 1,218 innings pitched.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Cleveland (-185)

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