The New York Mets (8-6) and Oakland Athletics (3-11) continue a 3-game set at Oakland Coliseum Saturday. First pitch is at 4:07 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Mets vs. Athletics odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Mets lead 1-0
The Mets had fun Friday night, bludgeoning the Athletics 17-6. SS Francisco Lindor hit a grand slam and drove in 7 runs to match a career-high. So many long innings at the plate seemed to affect Mets starter RHP Kodai Senga, who lasted 4 2/3 IP. The Mets used 3 relievers to cover the last 4 1/3 innings, so they’ll need some length from RHP Carlos Carrasco in this one.
The Athletics walked 17 batters Friday, which is the 2nd most in franchise history, 2nd to just 18 walks issued by the Philadelphia A’s in 1916. The A’s needed 4 relievers to cover 4 2/3 innings and called up C Carlos Perez to get the final 2 outs of the game. OF Brent Rooker continued his hot hitting with a homer and 2 RBIs, improving to a .346 avg with 4 HR and 11 RBIs on the year.
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Mets at Athletics projected starters
RHP Carlos Carrasco vs. RHP Shintaro Fujinami
Carrasco (0-2, 11.42 ERA) makes his 3rd start. He has a 1.96 WHIP, 7.3 BB/9 and 5.2 K/9 in 8 2/3 IP.
- Has allowed at least 5 ER and 3 BB in both starts
- Has not faced Oakland since 2019, but he allowed at least 3 ER in his last 3 starts against the Athletics, dating back to 2017
Fujinami (0-2, 17.55 ERA) makes his 3rd start. He has a 2.25 WHIP, 9.5 BB/9 and 6.8 K/9 in 6 2/3 IP.
- Has also allowed at least 5 ER and 3 BB in both starts
- The 29-year-old, 6-foot-6, Japanese product averages 97 mph with his fastball and mixes in a 93-mph changeup, a slider and a curveball
Mets at Athletics odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Mets -190 (bet $190 to win $100) | Athletics +155 (bet $100 to win $155)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Mets -1.5 (-115) | Athletics +1.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 9.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Mets at Athletics picks and predictions
Prediction
Mets 8, Athletics 6
Moneyline
This feels like a spot where Oakland can take a game, but I’d want something closer to +175 in order to make that leap. Both starters have given up a ton of walks and 5 or more ER in each start, so I’m going to take OVER 4.5 TOTAL RUNS FIRST 5 INNINGS (-140).
Run line/Against the spread
With both teams’ bullpens less-than-rested, the spread doesn’t make sense for either side here.
It’s a little chalky, but BRENT ROOKER OVER 0.5 TOTAL BASES (-160), seems like a slam dunk considering he has 2 hits in 3 straight games and is riding a 4-game hitting streak. Carrasco has allowed 10 hits in 8 2/3 IP, and the pen depth is questionable.
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Over/Under
The Over is 5-0-1 in the Mets’ last 6 road games vs. a right-handed starter and Carrasco’s last 4 road starts. The Over is also 4-0 in the Mets’ last 4 interleague games and 7-0 in Athletics’ last 7 interleague games.
There are actually a ton of trends leaning toward an Over, including 2 struggling starters and thin bullpens. Take the OVER 9.5 (-105) while you can.
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