Fiers expected to start for Oakland against Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Rays (44-32, second in the AL East) vs. Oakland Athletics (40-37, third in the AL West)
Oakland, California; Saturday, 4 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Yonny Chirinos (7-3, 3.00 ERA, .94 WHIP, 68 strikeouts) Athletics: Mike Fiers (7-3, 4.26 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 57 strikeouts)
BOTTOM LINE:
The Athletics are 23-18 in home games. Oakland has hit 120 home runs this season, seventh in the league. Matt Chapman leads the team with 17, averaging one every 17 at-bats.
The Rays are 24-14 on the road. Tampa Bay is slugging .429 as a unit. Austin Meadows leads the team with a slugging percentage of .545. The Rays won the last meeting 5-3. Austin Pruitt secured his first victory and Willy Adames went 3-for-4 with a home run and an RBI for Tampa Bay. Tanner Anderson registered his second loss for Oakland.
TOP PERFORMERS: Chapman leads the Athletics with 38 extra base hits and is batting .263. Ramon Laureano is 11-for-41 with three doubles, four home runs and 13 RBIs over the last 10 games for Oakland.
Brandon Lowe leads the Rays with 33 extra base hits and has 46 RBIs. Tommy Pham has 16 hits and is batting .400 over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.
LAST 10 GAMES: Athletics: 7-3, .267 batting average, 3.10 ERA, outscored opponents by 23 runs
Rays: 3-7, .237 batting average, 5.40 ERA, outscored by 18 runs
Athletics Injuries: Sean Manaea: 60-day IL (shoulder), Daniel Gossett: 60-day IL (elbow), Marco Estrada: 10-day IL (lumbar strain), Jharel Cotton: 60-day IL (elbow/hamstring), Nick Hundley: 10-day IL (back), Chris Herrmann: 60-day IL (knee).
Rays Injuries: Tyler Glasnow: 60-day IL (forearm), Jose De Leon: 60-day IL (elbow), Anthony Banda: 60-day IL (elbow), Matt Duffy: 60-day IL (back), Yandy Diaz: 10-day IL (hamstring), Christian Arroyo: 10-day IL (forearm), Anthony Bemboom: 10-day IL (knee).
