Rays vs. Athletics Prediction, Betting Tips & Picks 5/2/2022

A losing streak will come to an end Monday when the Tampa Bay Rays (12-10), losers of two straight, take on the Oakland Athletics (10-12). The Athletics are hoping to avoid their third loss in a row. The Rays are -167 favorites to snap out of their slide when the teams hit the field at Oakland Coliseum, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET. Tampa Bay’s Drew Rasmussen and Oakland’s Daulton Jefferies have been named the starters for this contest.

Rays vs. Athletics Spread and Betting Line

Computer Predictions for Rays vs. Athletics

Our computer pick: Oakland Athletics (+143) and Over (7)

Rays vs. Athletics Game Info

• Tampa Bay Rays probable starting pitcher: Drew Rasmussen
• Oakland Athletics probable starting pitcher: Daulton Jefferies
• Game Day: Monday, May 2, 2022
• Game Time: 9:40 PM ET
• Location: Oakland, California
• Stadium: Oakland Coliseum

Tampa Bay Rays vs Oakland Athletics Pitching Matchup

Rays Starter Drew Rasmussen

• Rasmussen makes the start for the Rays, his fifth of the season. He is 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 18 innings pitched.
• His last time out came on Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners, when the righty went six scoreless innings while allowing two hits.
• In four games this season, the 26-year-old has a 3.50 ERA and 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings, while allowing a batting average of .203 to his opponents.
• The opposing Athletics offense has the 22nd-ranked slugging percentage (.342) and is 19th in MLB play with 18 home runs. It has a collective .211 batting average, and is 25th in MLB with 152 total hits and 19th in MLB action scoring 84 runs.

Athletics Starter Daulton Jefferies

• Jefferies (1-3) will take to the mound for the Athletics and make his fifth start of the season.
• The right-hander’s last appearance was on Wednesday, when he threw four innings against the San Francisco Giants, giving up five earned runs while allowing four hits.
• The 26-year-old has pitched to a 3.26 ERA this season with 5.6 strikeouts per nine innings compared to 2.3 walks per nine across four games.
• In four starts this season, he’s earned a quality start in one of them.
• Jefferies has started four games this season, and he’s lasted five or more innings two times. He averages 4.3 innings per appearance.
• The Rays have scored 90 runs this season, which ranks 17th in MLB. They have 172 hits, 13th in baseball, with 19 home runs (16th in the league).

Rays Betting Picks & Insights

• The Rays have won 11, or 57.9%, of the 19 games they’ve played as favorites this season.
• Tampa Bay has entered nine games this season favored by -167 or more and is 5-4 in those contests.
• The oddsmakers’ moneyline implies a 62.5% chance of a victory for the Rays.
• Tampa Bay and its opponents have hit the over in nine of their 22 games with a total this season.
• In 22 games with a spread this season, the Rays are 8-14-0 ATS.

Athletics Betting Picks & Insights

• The Athletics have been victorious in seven, or 43.8%, of the 16 contests they have been chosen as underdogs in this season.
• Oakland has a mark of 6-6 in contests where sportsbooks favor them by +143 or worse on the moneyline.
• Oddsmakers have implied with the moneyline set for this matchup that the Athletics have a 41.2% chance of pulling out a win.
• Contests with Oakland have gone over the total set by bookmakers in 10 of 22 chances this season.
• In 22 games with a line this season, the Athletics have a mark of 11-11-0 against the spread.

Rays Leaders & Batting Stats

• Wander Franco has racked up a team-high batting average of .313, while leading the Rays in home runs (four) and runs batted in (13).
• Franco’s home runs put him 23rd in the majors, and he ranks 27th in RBI.
• Franco carries a two-game hitting streak into this matchup. During his last five outings he is hitting .200 with a double, a home run, a walk and three RBI.
• Yandy Diaz is batting .298 with two doubles, a home run and 14 walks.
• Of all major league hitters, Diaz is 153rd in home runs and 229th in RBI.
• Brandon Lowe has three doubles, three home runs and eight walks while hitting .181.
• Taylor Walls is hitting .256 with two doubles, a triple, a home run and 10 walks.
• Walls is riding a two-game hitting streak into this one. In his last five games he is hitting .214 with a double, a home run, three walks and two RBI.

Athletics Leaders & Batting Stats

• Sheldon Neuse leads the Athletics with a team-high batting average of .328.
• In all of the majors, Neuse ranks 82nd in homers and 27th in RBI.
• Neuse carries a three-game hitting streak into this matchup. In his last five games he is hitting .368 with a triple, a home run, two walks and five RBI.
• Sean Murphy been a consistent power bat this season, as he paces his team with four home runs and 14 RBI.
• Murphy ranks 23rd among all hitters in the majors in homers, and 19th in RBI.
• Tony Kemp is hitting .247 with two doubles and nine walks.
• Elvis Andrus is hitting .197 with five doubles, a home run and eight walks.

Betting Tips for Rays vs. Athletics

Our best bet is the Athletics on the moneyline at +143 after digging through all of the key trends and statistics for this matchup. Our computer projects the total score will over the total of 7 runs.