AL Rivals Meet in Minnesota
The Minnesota Twins will host the Oakland Athletics for a three-game weekend series, beginning on Friday. Oakland has lost six straight contests, while Minnesota has won six straight games at home.
The first pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET inside Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Let’s check the latest MLB picks, stats, injury reports, and MLB odds for Athletics vs Twins. We’ve plenty of MLB predictions.
The Athletics Look to Get Back on Track
MLB odds told that the Athletics were never supposed to be the class of the American League West, but they were not expected to look as bad as they have over the past week or so. Their recent losing streak has brought them to 10-15 on the year, good for last in the division. They were also outscored by 18 runs during the six-game stretch, meaning that they were losing convincingly.
Sheldon Neuse has been a revelation at third baseman in his third major-league season, but aside from him and outfield Chad Pinder, the rest of the A’s offense has struggled mightily, combining to produce the third-worst batting average.
This deficiency has been a major reason why the team has struggled so much, especially recently— even worse for them, they do not have an obvious all-league talent to help lift them out of the hole whenever they need it.
Cole Irvin was supposed to start for the A’s, but a recent injury put him on the 15-day injured list, and the team has not named his replacement at the time of publication.
Minnesota’s Surprise Start
The Twins have been the class of the American League Central division thus far, outperforming the heralded Chicago White Sox en route to a 15-11 record. They lost back-to-back games against the Baltimore Orioles in their most recent action but still have the home win streak to fall back on, which, when last seen, helped them beat the Detroit Tigers 7-1. Carlos Correa had a huge outing that day, but he is now day-to-day after fracturing a finger on an errant pitch.
The Twins have multiple offensive contributors and are not limited in their attack. Any one of Correa, Byron Buxton, Luis Arraez, or other members of the roster can step up big when needed.
Josh Winder (1-0, 2.20 ERA) will get the start for the Twins after he blanked the Tampa Bay Rays across six innings in his most recent start.
Athletics vs Twins Head-to-Head
This is the first time that the Athletics and Twins have faced each other this season.
The A’s took five of the six matchups in 2021, including two of the three on Target Field.
Athletics vs Twins Game Information
- Game: Athletics (10-15) vs Twins (15-11)
- Location: Target Field
- Day/Time: Friday, May 6, 8:10 p.m. ET
- Athletics vs Twins Live stream: MLB.tv
Athletics vs Twins Betting Lines
| Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Total | Team Total |
| Oakland Athletics Z. Logue -L | +1½ -140 | +155 | 7½ -120o | 3½ +105o 3½ -135u
|
| Minnesota Twins J. Winder -R | -1½ +120 | -175 | 7½ Evu | 4½ +105o 4½ -135u |
Athletics vs Twins Prediction
The Twins have become a surprise favorite in MLB picks because of their surging offense and decent defense. They have been given the advantage in the impending matchup because of their trajectory, but mostly because of Oakland’s recent struggles.
The fact that the A’s have not yet named a starting pitcher is slightly concerning from a betting standpoint, but regardless, they do not have the offense to keep up with the Twins, no matter who they trot out onto the mound.
For these reasons, the Twins are the team to roll with; start with the moneyline, and once Oakland’s pitcher is announced, decide on the spread.
Those looking to bet online can find MLB lines and more on the BETUS sportsbook.
![MLB Picks, Predictions & Best Baseball Betting Odds [Friday May 20]](https://cdn-bcmke.nitrocdn.com/FhMIXoNValmFJErBGxsWCoKAdOAOBcHv/assets/static/optimized/rev-dfca814/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/mlb-picks-predictions-best-baseball-betting-odds-friday-may-20-120x86.jpg)
