The reeling Oakland Athletics continue their four-game set against the Kansas City Royals Thursday afternoon as they clash in the finale inside Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. At 1:10 p.m., they toss out the first pitch in this afternoon affair. Both teams have struggled this season and are off to a rough start. The Rays have had expectations of being a playoff team, and they need to get it together.
The Athletics have been a team in shambles, and the franchise is considered a joke in the world of baseball. They will most likely lose 90+ games again this season, and they just cannot find their bearings as a franchise.
They've been a very inconsistent team when it comes to developing young players, and their starting pitching has not been solid. They have to find a way to outscore teams, but they do not have the offense or lineup to do that. They have yet to name a starter for Thursday's contest. They are led by left fielder Brent Rooker, who has already slugged 11 home runs this season and is hitting.280.
Okland is hitting .222 as a team and has to do a better job of manufacturing runs and scoring runs altogether. Their starting rotation has a team ERA of 4.29, which has really put more pressure on their offense to score runs. That is not their strong suit.
The Rays have gotten off to a slow start this season, and right now they sit in fourth place in a very competitive AL East. They have shown in the past that they can make up some ground when needed, but the team seems off this season.
They have suffered some unfortunate defeats and have also lost numerous games, exacerbating the situation further. Third baseman Isaac Paredes, who has clubbed nine home runs while driving in 29 runs, is batting a career-high.296 thus far this season. He has been a steady bat for the Rays, who bat.233 on the season.
They need to get back to small ball, which means getting on base and taking some chances. They have some speed, but they have not utilized it yet. Jose Caballero, on the other hand, has been a thief on the base paths, having already stolen 19 bags this season.
The Rays have also not named a starter.
The Rays are 1-4 in their last five games, as well as 1-4 in their last five games against the spread. In their road games, they have a record of 11-11 against the spread. In three of their last five games, the totals have exceeded the limit. The Athletics are 3-2 in their last five games and 3-2 in their last five games against the number. They are 13-14 in their road games against the spread, and the totals have gone over in two out of their last five games.
