The set-up: The Cleveland Indians took two of three from the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend and lead the AL Central by seven games. Cleveland arrives in Oakland with a 71-51 record and gets three games with the 53-71 A's, before heading to AL West-leading Texas for a four-game series beginning on Thursday. The Indians arrive in Oakland off an 8-3 homestand and face a team which has lost for the seven of its last eight after Sunday's 4-2 defeat versus the White Sox. The Indians currently trail the 73-52 Rangers by only percentage points (.582 to .584) for the best record in the AL and surely don't want to slip up before venturing to Arlington.

The pitching matchup: Carlos Carrasco (8-6, 3.34 ERA) gets the nod for Cleveland, while rookie Andrew Triggs (0-1, 4.98 ERA) will make just his fourth start of 2016 (has made 21 overall appearances so far this season). Carrasco has only one win to show for his last five starts (team is 1-4) but it's worth noting that four of those five games have been played at home. He is 1-2 with a 6.66 ERA in August (team is 1-3) but the Indians have to like the fact that in nine road starts this season, Carrasco owns a 1.97 ERA (third-best in all of MLB). Triggs has seen the A's lose all three of his previous starts in 2016, despite a decent 3.55 ERA.

The pick: Carrasco owns a 2.25 ERA in three games, including two starts, against the A's in his career. He's posted a 1.69 ERA in those two starts (both coming last season), including pitching a two-hitter at Oakland the last time he saw them back on July 30, 2015. Triggs makes a third straight start and his 3.55 ERA in three starts this season is far better than his 5.58 ERA in 18 relief appearances. Cleveland outscored Oakland 19-6 during a three-game home sweep from July 29-31 and should get this series off on the right foot behind Carrasco and that 1.97 road ERA. Cleveland is an 8* play.