On the evening of August 19, 2024, an intriguing matchup is slated at the Oakland Coliseum where the Tampa Bay Rays will go head to head with the Oakland Athletics. Scheduled for a 9:40 PM start, the game is predicted to play out under clear skies.

The pitching battle sees Taj Bradley taking the helm for the Rays with a commendable ERA of 3.493, while Joe Boyle, who has been struggling with an ERA of 7.389 this season, will pitch for the Athletics.

Reviewing their 2024 performance, the Rays hold the 9th spot in the AL East Division with a balanced record of 62 wins and 61 losses. Recent games have favored them slightly; they’ve clinched 5 out of their last 10 and are currently riding a three-game winning streak. Despite their even split at home (34-34), they have a slightly better record on the road (28-27).

Conversely, the Athletics lag in the 13th position within the AL West Division, possessing a record of 53 wins to 71 losses. Their form shows a tepid improvement with 6 victories in their last 10 outings. A glaring issue has been their road performance, standing at 23 wins against 40 losses.

In terms of betting odds, odds makers are signaling a somewhat tight contest. The Rays are the favorites with a -135 Moneyline, while the Athletics are at +115. The point spread stands at 1.5 in favor of the Rays, and the Over/Under for the game is set at 8.0 runs. Considering the Rays’ balanced road record against the Athletics’ underwhelming home advantage, bettors might lean towards betting on Tampa Bay covering the spread and potentially a total runs under.