The probable starter for the Athletics, Neal, will be starting his 8th game in his 4th season of very sparse appearances (102 innings total). His stats are what you’d expect with a 6.59 ERA and 1.98 WHIP over 6 appearances (1 start) in August. He is really being thrown to the wolves here against a Mariners team that is 1st in the majors in avg. and 2nd in OPS who have averaged 8 runs/9 innings over their last 7 games. Over that same stretch the Athletics have averaged 4 runs/ 9 innings. That’s a pretty big cushion for a point spread play.

We haven’t even mentioned probable starter Miller for the Mariners who won two games vs. Oakland in May and has a respectable 3.71 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in his last 5 starts.

Add to that a Mariners team with a 9-1 record over their last 10 and an 8-2 advantage in their last 10 head-to-head with the Athletics and you have many reasons to lay the runs and go with the Mariners.