Kicking off their first series of the year, the Athletics and Diamondbacks do inter-league battle in Arizona. As of today, Oakland is arguably the hottest team in the league, leading MLB with a .727 win percentage through 22 games. While not off to as strong a start, the Diamondbacks remain squarely in contention with a 11-11 record.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the latest betting lines, analysis, and my top pick for the game.
Oakland Athletics at Arizona Diamondbacks
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ – 9:40 PM ET
Game Info/Starting Pitchers:
OAK: Chris Bassitt – R (Last Season: 3.81 ERA, 4.40 FIP, 2.1 WAR, 144 IP)
ARI: Zac Gallen – R (Last Season: 2.81 ERA, 3.61 FIP, 1.6 WAR, 80 IP)
Odds & Betting lines (DraftKings)
Total: 9 | Over: -110 | Under: -110
OAK| Moneyline: -122 | Run Line (-1.5): +133
ARI| Moneyline: +107 | Run Line (+1.5): -159
Game Notes
Fireworks on Standby
Over the first few weeks of the season, offense has been relatively hard to come by. Fortunately, there are signs that things are turning around. Overall, league offense has reached 2018 levels and is approaching 2019 levels (by wOBA).
Better yet, this game may provide some sneaky shootout potential. First off, both lineups project to be average or better. Secondly, neither starter is an established ace or workhorse. Finally, Chase Field remains a hitter-happy ballpark, even with its recently-installed humidor.
If the game is close, a bullpen game may water down the total runs scored. If you have a good feeling, however, there are worse bets than over 9 (-110).
Betting Picks
ARI ML (+107)
While the over is a tempting play, the D-Backs moneyline appears even more enticing.
Thus far, it has been Oakland with the white-hot start, but Arizona’s lineup remains comparable. Last season, Arizona’s lineup trailed Oakland’s by only 6 wRC+ points, and now Starling Marte is in the fold. And while the A’s have the advantage in the bullpen, Diamondbacks righty Zac Gallen is the better starter today. The A’s are great, but Arizona shouldn’t be a home underdog today.
Looking for more expert picks from Rich? Check out all his latest MLB picks and parlays for today’s games here.
