:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72301543/usa_today_20524429.0.jpg)
The Oakland Athletics travel to Seattle on Monday to face the Mariners in a battle of the two bottom teams in the American League West with both trying to improve upon disappointing starts.
Oakland Athletics vs. Seattle Mariners (-305, 7.5)
The entire pitching staff for the Athletics has had a bad start to the season, entering the week with a team ERA of 8.31 on the road, with no other team having an ERA worse than 5.63 on the road this season.
Monday’s starter Kyle Muller certainly has had a hand to play in the Athletics' road pitching woes. He’s registered a 7.71 ERA overall this season, which balloons to 10.31 on the road with opponents hitting .360 off of him away from Oakland this season. He has also allowed at least four runs in all four of his road starts this season.
Despite the way the team has pitched on the road, Oakland’s win percentage is higher on the road than at home this season with the offense hitting significantly better away from home.
The Athletics entered the week averaging just under 4.3 runs per game with a .247 batting average on the road compared to a league-worst .212 home batting average with 3.3 runs per game in Oakland.
The main catalyst for Oakland’s offense has been the deep ball, ranking third in the American League in home runs per game on the road with 1.3.
The struggles of Mariners starter Luis Castillo are nowhere near the level of those for the entire Athletics pitching staff, but he does enter Monday having surrendered at least three runs in four of his last five starts.
The struggles of the Athletics’ pitching staff are second to none in the league and with the Athletics’ bullpen ERA more than a point higher than any other in the league, it will lead to an outburst of Mariners runs on Monday.
The Play: Athletics vs. Mariners Over 7.5