Minnesota Twins vs Oakland Athletics 7/15/2023 Expert Picks, Tips and Odds
On Saturday, July 15, 2023, at 7:07 PM ET in Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, CA, MLB action will pit the Minnesota Twins against the Oakland Athletics. Minnesota lost the top place in their division at the end of the first half due to a losing streak. Can the Twins retake the lead in the fight for the AL Central? With 4.18 runs scored per game and.232 hits with a.709 OPS, Minny is ranked 24th in terms of runs scored. In 2023, it was seventh for home runs (85) and 27th for thefts (44). The Twins’ pitching staff ranks first with a 1.16 WHIP and third with a 3.68 ERA with 46 quality starts.
López will get the ball for the visitors in game two. The sixth-year veteran, who has a 138:30 K: BB ratio this season, pitched a shutout in his penultimate start before the break. In his last start, which he also won, he pitched six innings while holding the Orioles to just one run and three hits. In his lone start against the A’s last year, Lopez allowed just four hits, two walks, and five strikeouts over six innings while holding them scoreless.
The Twins sent 265 relievers to the mound this season. The relievers took over 91 runners this season, and 33.0% made it to home plate. Despite having 17 of their 35 opportunities to win the game squandered, they have made 18 saves this season. Pitchers in the Twins bullpen have had 79 chances to save games for a total save percentage of 51.4%. With 44 holds, the relievers’ pitchers are currently placed 20th in MLB. A Twins relief pitcher entered the game 66 times, each time with runners on base.
Additionally, they made 94 appearances in crucial circumstances. The Twins finished eighth in MLB with a 70.2% strikeout rate on balls in play across their 7,326 innings. Through the first half of the season, the Minnesota Twins collected 2,442 putouts, 694 assists, and 45 errors. They rank 15th in the majors with a fielding percentage of.986 and have turned 65 double plays.
- Minnesota is 6-1 SU in their last seven matches with the Athletics.
- The total stayed UNDER in five of the Twins’ last seven games on the road.
- The Minnesota Twins are 6-14 SU in their previous 20 road matches with Oakland.
Minnesota Twins vs Oakland Athletics 7/15/2023 Expert Picks, Tips and Odds
In the AL West, Oakland is last, 27.5 games behind first-place Texas. Will the Athletics have any effect on the remainder of the season? Regarding run average, batting average (.221), and OPS (.652), Oakland is ranked 30th. It was fourth in 2023 for base stealers with 91 and 24th for long balls with 85. The Athletics’ pitching staff ranks 30th with a 6.05 ERA and 1.56 WHIP after 17 quality starts.
Harris is slated to take the hill for Oakland. The rookie left-hander was brutalized in his previous start against Detroit, surrendering seven runs, eight hits, and four walks in 4.2 innings. He didn’t fare much better in his last start against the Yankees, giving up nine hits, including two home runs and five runs (four earned) in 5.1 innings. In 43 IP this year, Harris has a 35:19 K: BB ratio.
The Oakland pitching staff allowed 577 runs this season, resulting in a club ERA of 6.04 (543 earned runs allowed). They were 30th in MLB for runs allowed per nine innings (6.42) and allowed 130 home runs. The Athletics’ current season FIP and WHIP are 5.27 and 1.559, respectively. They have an 8.10 strikeout-to-walk ratio with 725 strikeouts to 397 walks. Their pitching staff is ranked 29th in the league, with 864 total hits allowed. The relievers in Oakland’s bullpen had 30 chances to win the game and did so 14 times. They used 305 bullpen relievers this season and now own the 29th-best save percentage in Major League Baseball (46.7%). With runners in scoring position, they used their bullpen pitchers 109 times, and under pressure, they used them 105 times.
- The total went OVER in 10 of the Oakland Athletics’ last 15 matches.
- The Athletics are 0-5 SU in their previous five games.
- The total went OVER in six of Oakland’s final six battles at home.
Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics The MLB pick for this game is the Minnesota Twins. López, who was excellent in his last start, struck out two hitters in his All-Star game inning of work. He seldom leaves runners on base and keeps most of his competitors to two runs or fewer. The A’s struggled mightily at the plate against right-handed pitchers (2,201 at-bats), batting just.218/.298/.345/.643 and at home (44 games). Harris was given the loss in three of his previous four outings, and in three of those starts, at least one home run was allowed. Expect the Twins’ offense to play with more energy following the break, especially after losing the division lead. The Minnesota Twins are expected to triumph with a score of 5-3.
MLB Starting Time: 7:07 PM ET
Location: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, CA
Date: Saturday, July 15, 2023
TV: NBC Sports California
MLB Odds: Minnesota Twins +135
MLB Totals: 6.5
