This backfired Monday, of course, and I really had no plans to go back to Tampa Bay but the A's just scratched AL Rookie of the Year favorite and leadoff hitter Jacob Wilson, and Tyler Soderstrom, who leads the team in RBI and is second in homers, also is taking a seat. Rays pitcher Shane Baz was 4-0 with a 3.26 ERA in June.

The Rays have lost two games in a row, but they're only 1.5 games out of first place in the AL East at 47-38, and tonight they have Shane Baz going to the mound, who the Rays have won seven straight games behind. Baz faced the Athletics in August and beat them 1-0. The Rays lead baseball over the last 30 days, hitting .287 and scoring 151 runs. Former Ray Jeffrey Springs is on the mound for the Athletics, who have gone 3-6 over their last nine. Rays to win on the run line.

FanDuel. Another juicy under on a strikeout prop, but seeing plenty of value at this price. Shane Baz is coming off a sterling outing against the Royals with nine strikeouts, but was under this line in the preceding twelve starts. His strikeout indicators (22.7% K%, 27.5% called plus swinging strike rate) are both well below average. And it’s worth noting that he’s been unable to generate strikeouts against righties (18.8% K%). Tonight, he’ll likely face six right handed bats in the Athletics lineup. Also worth mentioning, Baz has struggled this season on four days rest: 7.36 ERA, 16% K%, 12% BB%. I’d bet this down to -165, or for a partial unit at under 5.5 strikeouts at plus odds.

The Rays can't win every night, but they're still probably worth one more look on Tuesday night. The A's got them on Monday with two runs in the ninth inning, , but note Tampa Bay hasn't had a three-game losing streak since the first week of May, and Tuesday starter Shane Baz hasn't lost at all since May 18 vs. the Marlins. Meanwhile, though Jeffrey Springs is one of the more reliable pitchers in Mark Kotsay's rotation, the A's have lost in six of his last eight starts. Play Rays on Run Line