Tampa Bay Rays at Athletics

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
TB	2	0	1	3	0	1	2	3	0	12	11	0
ATH	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	4	8	1

Nick Martinez has been the best story in the Rays rotation all year, and he draws a beat-up Athletics lineup on regular rest. Across the diamond, rookie right-hander Mason Barnett is trying to find his footing in just his first full MLB season, and he's coming off a rough one against Cincinnati.

Show fees

FINAL

Spread

ML

Total

Rays(72-46)

WWWWW

12

-7.5-182o16.5

Athletics(47-72)

LWWLL

4

+7.5+178u16.5

Best BetRays -168

Pregame

Tampa Bay owns the best record in the American League and just took the opener of this series behind a lineup that's clicking on all cylinders. Oakland's lineup is missing three key bats to injury and gets a rookie starter who was torched in his last outing. The price reflects a big gap, but that gap is real.

Martinez has allowed two runs or fewer in the vast majority of his starts this season and comes in at 11-3 with a 2.65 ERA — he was outstanding his last time out, going 5.2 scoreless innings against Colorado with four strikeouts and zero walks. Barnett, meanwhile, got shelled for five earned runs in 4.1 innings in his last outing, even with seven strikeouts mixed in. The stuff flashes, but the results haven't followed yet, and Oakland's injury-ravaged lineup isn't giving him much cover.

Nick Martinez

(12-4)·3.05 ERA

Aug 5 @ Rockies

W

5.2IP

0ER

4K

0BB

75P

08/11 Lineup

Mason Barnett

(1-4)·7.08 ERA

Aug 6 @ Reds

L

4.1IP

5ER

7K

3BB

82P

08/11 Lineup

Tampa Bay is missing Gavin Lux for the year and has Shane McClanahan and Griffin Jax both on the shelf, but the pitching depth behind Martinez has been deep enough to survive it. Oakland can't say the same — Nick Kurtz is back on the IL with a thumb issue that's now sidelined him twice, Shea Langeliers had knee surgery, and Brent Rooker is done for the season. That's three key bats gone from a lineup that was already thin.

Tampa Bay Rays

(72-46)

Aug 11W@ Athletics10-6

Aug 9W@ Mariners4-1

Aug 9W@ Mariners3-2

Aug 8W@ Mariners2-1

Aug 5W@ Rockies4-0

Athletics

(47-72)

Aug 11Lvs Rays6-10

Aug 9W@ Red Sox4-3

Aug 8W@ Red Sox7-3

Aug 7L@ Red Sox1-13

Aug 6L@ Reds5-6

The Rays have won five straight and haven't lost since sweeping Seattle over the weekend, a stretch that's stretched their AL East lead. They took the series opener here 10-6, and there's no reason to think the vibe shifts with Martinez on the mound. The Athletics did take two of three from Boston before this series, so it's not like the young roster has nothing going for it — Tyler Soderstrom's recent extension is a sign the front office believes in pieces of this group long-term. But belief in the future doesn't help them tonight against the hottest team in the sport.

Tampa Bay Rays

(10)

• 10-Day-ILBen Williamson (2B) — The Rays placed Williamson on the 10-day injured list Friday, retroactive to Thursday, due to a right hamstring strain.08/07
• 15-Day-ILShane McClanahan (SP) — McClanahan (back) threw two innings in a simulated game Thursday, per MLB.com.08/11
• 15-Day-ILGriffin Jax (SP) — The Rays placed Jax (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Sunday.08/09
• 15-Day-ILCole Sulser (RP) — The Rays placed Sulser on the 15-day injured list Wednesday due to lower back spasms.07/29
• 60-Day-ILGavin Lux (LF) — Lux (shoulder) is unlikely to return this season, per MLB.com.08/11
• 60-Day-ILJake Fraley (RF) — The Rays transferred Fraley (hernia) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday.08/02
• 60-Day-ILManuel Rodriguez (RP) — Rodriguez (elbow) began a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Florida Complex League on Thursday, giving up a solo home run and striking out three in one inning.07/24
• 60-Day-ILEdwin Uceta (RP) — Rays manager Kevin Cash said Monday that Uceta has yet to resume throwing and will meet with a doctor to have his nagging right shoulder injury examined, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.07/06
• 60-Day-ILJonathan Heasley (RP) — Heasley was returned to the major-league roster and placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a right elbow stress reaction.06/08
• 60-Day-ILRyan Pepiot (SP) — Pepiot will undergo surgery on his right hip May 13 and miss the rest of the 2026 season, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.05/08

Athletics

(11)

• 10-Day-ILNick Kurtz (1B) — The Athletics placed Kurtz on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, retroactive to Aug. 1, due to a strained right thumb.08/04
• 10-Day-ILShea Langeliers (C) — The Athletics announced that Langeliers underwent a successful medial meniscectomy Tuesday in Los Angeles and also received a platelet-rich plasma injection for his right knee, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/28
• 10-Day-ILJoshua Kuroda-Grauer (3B) — Kuroda-Grauer was diagnosed with a testicular contusion after exiting Monday's 5-2 win over the Diamondbacks, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/21
• 15-Day-ILJeffrey Springs (SP) — Springs (hip) was able to restart a throwing program Wednesday after landing on the 15-day injured list Tuesday, MLB.com reports.08/06
• 15-Day-ILJustin Sterner (RP) — Sterner earned his first save of the season in Wednesday's extra-inning win over the Cubs. He tossed a perfect inning while striking out one.07/18
• 60-Day-ILMark Leiter Jr. (RP) — Leiter will undergo surgery Tuesday to address a right hip impingement and is expected to miss the remainder of the season, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/30
• 60-Day-ILLuis Severino (SP) — Severino (shoulder) began a throwing progression Saturday, per MLB.com.07/28
• 60-Day-ILDenzel Clarke (CF) — Manager Mark Kotsay said Saturday that Clarke (hamstring) is nearing a rehab assignment, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/19
• 60-Day-ILBrent Rooker (DH) — Rooker will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his left knee, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/17
• 60-Day-ILBrooks Kriske (RP) — Kriske (shoulder) began a throwing progression Thursday, MLB.com reports.06/16
• 60-Day-ILGunnar Hoglund (SP) — Hoglund (knee/back) will be sidelined for the rest of the 2026 season after undergoing surgery on his left hip Monday.05/20

Sutter Health Park hasn't been a fortress for Oakland this year, and a shorthanded lineup facing a pitcher throwing this well is a tough combination. The Rays have the depth, the momentum, and the better arm on the mound — Oakland's task is just trying to make it competitive.