The Oakland Athletics (30-19) look to earn a split in this two-game series against the Colorado Rockies (22-25). First pitch Wednesday is set for 3:10 p.m. ET at Coors Field. We analyze the Athletics-Rockies betting odds and lines, with MLB picks and best bets.
Athletics at Rockies: Projected starting pitchers
RHP Mike Fiers vs. RHP German Marquez
Fiers recorded a sub-4.00 ERA each of the past two seasons despite subpar skills. His average fastball velocity has dipped more than 2 MPH in 2020, and through eight starts, he owns a 5.06 ERA.
- Fiers has never been one to miss a ton of bats, but this year, the swing-and-miss stuff is really lacking. His 14.3% K% is third lowest in the league (Min. 40 IP), while his swinging-strike rate is dead last.
- His fly ball tendencies and Coors Field are not a good match. Fiers has made one career start there, and while that is obviously a small sample, the 2 IP, 8 ER line highlights his blowup potential in this venue.
Through 10 starts, Marquez is sporting a 4.35 ERA, an improvement from last year’s 4.76 mark. But after striking out more than a batter per inning each of the past two seasons, his K/9 sits at 8.3 in 2020.
- He has struggled at home for the second consecutive season. While a .378 BABIP has played a role, this is now 18 starts of a 6.19 ERA at Coors since the beginning of the 2019 campaign.
- He faced Oakland on the road earlier this year, and allowed just one earned run in six innings while whiffing six batters.
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Athletics at Rockies: Key injuries
Get the latest injury news here.
Athletics
- 3B Matt Chapman (hip) out
- OF Chad Pinder (hamstring) out
- OF Stephen Piscotty (knee) questionable
Rockies
- 2B Brendan Rodgers (shoulder) out
- RP Scott Oberg (back) out
Also see: BaseballHQ Fantasy Baseball
Athletics at Rockies: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 7:30 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Rockies 8, Athletics 5
Money line (ML)
- Athletics (+115)
- Rockies (-129)
Marquez hasn’t been very good at home, but the Rockies still have the clear pitching edge, as Fiers at Coors Field could be an absolute disaster. Side with the ROCKIES (-129) to come out on top.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Rockies (-129) to win would return a profit of $7.75.
Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
- Athletics -1.5 (+145)
- Rockies +1.5 (-176)
There is often value to be had in taking the winning team and the run line in Colorado. The Rockies have had just six one-run games at Coors Field this year, compared to 10 on the road. The lines above don’t look like great values, but pivoting to ROCKIES -1.5 (-145) is pretty appealing.
Over/Under (O/U)
- Over 11.5 (-110)
- Under 11.5 (-110)
The Over has hit in just 10 of 24 games at Coors Field this season, but this one sets up as a high-scoring affair. The Colorado bats should have a pretty big day against Fiers, whose inability to miss bats combined with a high fly ball rate will likely lead to trouble.
Given Marquez’s recent numbers at home, he isn’t likely to completely shut down the Oakland offense, either. The OVER 11.5 (-110) looks like the play here.
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