Boston Red Sox (25-27, fourth in the AL East) vs. Oakland Athletics (20-34, fifth in the AL West)
Oakland, California; Saturday, 4:07 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Red Sox: Nick Pivetta (4-4, 3.95 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 51 strikeouts); Athletics: Paul Blackburn (5-1, 2.15 ERA, .98 WHIP, 41 strikeouts)
LINE: Red Sox -123, Athletics +104; over/under is 7 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Oakland Athletics aim to break their four-game home slide with a victory against the Boston Red Sox.
Oakland is 20-34 overall and 7-22 in home games. The Athletics have a 7-24 record in games when they have given up a home run.
Boston is 25-27 overall and 12-13 in road games. The Red Sox have gone 13-20 in games when they have allowed at least one home run.
The teams match up Saturday for the second time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Elvis Andrus is fourth on the Athletics with a .236 batting average, and has 13 doubles, three home runs, 15 walks and 11 RBI. Ramon Laureano is 11-for-33 with a home run and three RBI over the past 10 games.
J.D. Martinez has a .357 batting average to rank fourth on the Red Sox, and has 17 doubles and five home runs. Rafael Devers is 15-for-44 with a home run and two RBI over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Athletics: 3-7, .226 batting average, 5.30 ERA, outscored by 20 runs
Red Sox: 5-5, .289 batting average, 4.04 ERA, outscored opponents by 13 runs
INJURIES: Athletics: Daulton Jefferies: 60-Day IL (arm), Skye Bolt: 60-Day IL (oblique), Stephen Piscotty: 10-Day IL (calf), Stephen Vogt: 10-Day IL (undisclosed), Deolis Guerra: 60-Day IL (elbow), Brent Honeywell Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Red Sox: Matt Barnes: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Hansel Robles: 15-Day IL (back), Josh Taylor: 60-Day IL (back), Chris Sale: 60-Day IL (rib), James Paxton: 60-Day IL (elbow)
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