Free MLB Picks Today: Baltimore Orioles vs Oakland Athletics 9/2/22

Free MLB Picks Today: Baltimore Orioles vs Oakland Athletics 9/2/22
Fri 2nd September 2022

The Oakland Athletics (49-83) take one of the weakest lineups in MLB on the road to face the Baltimore Orioles (69-61) at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Friday for the opener of a three-game series. The Athletics are in the midst of a six-game road trip. They won only one out of three in their last series against the Nationals, dropping the finale 7-5 on Thursday at Nationals Park. Cristian Pache was 1 for 1 with a triple and one run, walking twice. Shea Langeliers added a home run and a double. He had three RBIs. The Orioles are playing the first of 10 games at home after finishing up a successful six-game road trip (4-2). They won two of three against the Guardians in their last series, taking the finale 3-0 on Thursday at Progressive Field. Cedric Mullins went 1 for 4 with a solo home run.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Athletics have won three of four in the season series between the teams, including a 6-4 victory in their most recent meeting on April 21 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Paul Blackburn went five innings, allowing one run on three hits, to get the win, and Dany Jimenez picked up his second save with a scoreless ninth.

ON THE MOUND

JP Sears (5-1, 2.28 ERA) is set to start for Oakland. The lefty allowed three runs over six innings in his last start, a 3-2 road defeat against the Yankees on August 26. He took the loss, yielding eight hits while striking out three and walking four. Sears has made one previous start against the Orioles this season, a 2-0 home victory on May 25. He allowed three hits over five scoreless innings, striking out five and walking two.Right-hander Dean Kremer (6-4, 3.24 ERA) is on the mound for Baltimore. It’s his first appearance of the season against the Athletics. In his last start on Saturday, Kremer got the win on the road against the Astros. He threw 7.2 innings and gave up one run on four hits, striking out three, in the 3-1 victory.

AT THE PLATE

The Oakland offense is averaging 3.4 runs per game for the season, second lowest in the league, with a slash line of .216/.281/.345. Sean Murphy leads the team in OPS at .788. The catcher is slashing .258/.339/.449 with 17 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 55 runs over 120 games. Over the last five games, though, Oakland has averaged 4.6 runs a game while slashing better across the board (.247/.318/.391). Against righties like Kremer this season, the A’s have a .621 OPS, second lowest in MLB. Seth Brown is the team’s most potent producer against right-handers with a .754 OPS in 333 at-bats. Baltimore is slashing .236/.303/.390 for the season and averaging 4.2 runs per game. Anthony Santander leads the team with a .795 OPS. The right fielder has 24 home runs, 74 RBIs, and 61 runs scored with a slash line of .257/.335/.460. Baltimore is averaging only 2.4 runs per game in the last five with their slash line slipping across the board (.185/.256/.338). The O’s have a .684 OPS against left-handers in 2022. With a .916 OPS over 127 at-bats, Santander also has been their best hitter against left-handers.

HOME AND AWAY

Oakland is 27-39 in away games in 2022, scoring 4.0 runs per game while allowing 4.4 runs. Baltimore has gone 37-24 at their home park this season, averaging 4.4 runs per game while surrendering 3.9. In the last 10 meetings at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Oakland is 7-3 with an average scoreline of 6.2-4.0.

STANDINGS UPDATE

The Athletics are fifth in the AL West, 35 games behind the division-leading Astros. The Orioles are fourth in the AL East, nine games behind the Yankees.

SportsTips’ MLB Pick:

Baltimore Orioles (-175)

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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.

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