Total Take As Rays And A's Close Out Series

Rays vs. A's, 3:37 ET

Around this time of the year, you start to get into games that have teams that aren't really playing for anything else this season. Sure, there is still time for one of them to at least make a last-minute playoff push, but the other team in this game wasn't playing for anything pretty much all season long. The thing is even if they are playing for nothing, someone has to win the game. Even though one team is clearly better, the line in this game is close enough that it shows this should be a tight contest between the Rays and the Athletics.

It seems a bit strange, but the Rays are 64-62 on the season. Why is that strange? To me, it is strange that the Rays are successful this season. Tampa came into the year without their ace, they traded away another ace, and they lost one of the better young players in the game to something abhorrent. This season, they've traded away a couple of lineup mainstays and are still finding ways to win games. It isn't like the Rays are devoid of talent, they still have a strong enough pitching staff, and their hitting is fairly balanced throughout the lineup. They are 6.5 games back of the Wild Card which is probably too many games to overcome, especially in the tough AL East and having to face three teams that are playoff hopefuls. This afternoon, the Rays get Jeffrey Springs to take the pill. Springs has only made four starts this season, being added to the rotation after the deadline out of necessity. Springs has a 3.86 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. He has only made one road start this season and allowed four earned runs over five innings. There could be a bit of reason for optimism among the Rays fans today as he has made two daytime starts and he has only allowed two earned runs over 10 innings. He has faced the A's hitters in 21 at-bats and allowed just five total hits with just one going for extra bases. 

Aug 17, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA;  Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs (59) throws a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

The Athletics haven't had anything to play for this entire season. The biggest storyline this season was about attendance and potentially moving the team. Sure, they have an All-Star closer, and they've already won more games this season than they have last season. I do think the team might have some good young pieces, but that doesn't mean that they are going to have a massive turnaround next season. However, the franchise should be encouraged by the progress this year. Over the next month, they will probably spend it evaluating talent to see if they can continue to build on this year's progress. This still won't answer the question of if they will stay in Oakland, or if they can find ways to get fans to come and support the team, but at least they are fielding a more competitive team. The A's are putting a younger guy on the mound today as they hand the ball to Osvaldo Bido to battle the Rays. He was with the Pirates last season and spent time between the bullpen and the starting rotation. Bido has made 12 appearances this year and six of those were starts. He is 4-3 for the season with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP, both pretty impressive numbers. He has been great this month going 18 innings, allowing a total of two earned runs and producing three quality starts. Bido brings a 15-inning scoreless streak into this contest as well. Christopher Morel is the only Rays hitter to have any experience against Bido and he is 0-for-6 with two strikeouts.

Sometimes a game can be simple and you just pick whoever is the better team. The Rays are the better team, and the A's are not. The Rays, technically, still have a somewhat realistic shot at the playoffs. The Athletics don't. The first three games of this series have seen a total of 10 runs. No team has scored more than four runs in any game. I also think both of these pitchers are throwing well enough that we can trust them in this one. Neither offense has much to be excited by either. I'll back the under 7.5, which doesn't leave much room for error, but I think this is the right play.