Sacramento Athletics vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 9/16/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Sacramento Athletics vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

TV: MLB.TV

Odds/Point Spread: Sacramento (+132) Tampa Bay (-160)

The Sacramento Athletics (61-89) are traveling to Tropicana Field on Wednesday where they will try to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays (90-59). The line on this contest has Sacramento at +132 while Tampa Bay is priced at -160. The total comes in at 8.5. The starting pitchers will be Brady Basso and Nick Martinez.

The Athletics have hit 228 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 183 balls out of the park. Sacramento is slugging .404 and have been rung up 1,276 times, while being walked on 491 occasions. As a unit, the Sacramento Athletics are compiling 4.4 runs per outing, which has them at 20th in MLB. They have accrued 628 runs batted in as well as 1,250 hits on the campaign, while their team batting average sits at .246. They have earned a total of 656 runs scored while having a team OBP of .319.

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They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.12 and the pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.50. Athletics pitchers have allowed 225 long balls in addition to 859 runs in total (29th in MLB). Sacramento has conceded 1,403 base knocks (9.5 per 9 innings) as well as 800 earned runs. The Athletics hold a team ERA of 5.42 this season (29th in the league), and the staff has rung up 1,253 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 592 batters and their FIP is 4.91 as a unit so far this season.

The Athletics have sent 511 relievers to the mound so far this season. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 249 base runners on the campaign with 37.8% of them earned a run for their team. The relief pitchers have a total of 83 holds so far this season (13th in the league). Athletics bullpen pitchers have come into the game with players on base 164 times as well as having 144 appearances in high leverage situations. They have tallied 37 saves this season and have blown 28 of their 65 chances to save the game. The Athletics bullpen have earned a save percentage of 56.9% and have entered the game in 151 save situations.

The Athletics have turned 67.7% of balls hit into play into outs in their 11,952 innings on the diamond, ranking them 29th in the majors. The Sacramento Athletics have notched a total of 3,984 putouts this year, as well as 1,148 assists and 71 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .986 which puts them in 13th in professional baseball, and they have turned 112 double plays.

Basso (3-4 career win-loss mark) is the owner of a FIP of 3.62 while going up against 311 hitters during his time in the majors. He has given up 80 base knocks (10.1 hits per nine innings) and has 21 walks. His ERA is 3.67 (29 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.421. Basso has taken the mound for 71 innings and has accumulated 55 K's in his pro baseball career.

Tampa Bay has accounted for 161 home runs this year to go along with 649 RBIs. They have hit 205 two-baggers, while getting a free base 474 times and recording 682 runs. The Tampa Bay Rays hold an on-base percentage of .329 and a team batting average of .261 on the year. The Rays have a team SLG% of .407 and they have an average of 4.58 runs per contest (9th in the league). They have struck out on 1,031 occasions (30th in MLB) and have notched a total of 1,306 base hits.

The Rays have a WHIP of 1.144 in addition to having a FIP of 4.07 as a pitching staff over the course of the season. They come in at 4th in the league as a staff in total hits relinquished with 1,145. The Tampa Bay pitching staff have allowed 613 runs so far this season while having an ERA of 3.78 (558 earned runs conceded). They currently have a K/BB ratio of 8.10 (1,204 strikeouts against 376 free passes). They have conceded 186 homers and they allow 4.15 runs per 9 innings (7th in the league).

With 183 save situations, the Rays have earned 108 holds and 18 blown saves. Tampa Bay has called on relief pitchers to step onto the hill in 74 save chances and they have walked away with 56 saves. Tampa Bay relief pitchers have an inherited score rate of 33.5% out of 179 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 150 times in high leverage situations in addition to 125 occasions with runners on base. They rank 3rd in baseball holding a save rate of 75.7%, and they have dispatched 474 relief pitchers onto the field on the season.

In 11,970 innings on the diamond, the Rays have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 72.2% (1st in the majors). The Tampa Bay Rays have turned 94 double plays and have a fielding rate of .983 (22nd in professional baseball). The Rays have racked up 1,181 assists, 87 errors and have 3,990 putouts during this campaign.

Martinez (62-63 mark in his career) has earned a 3.97 ERA while conceding 8.9 hits per nine innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.45 and he has faced 4,650 opposing batters in his pro baseball career. He has surrendered a total of 488 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.268 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.9. So far in his career, Martinez has allowed 1,089 hits while he has totaled 768 punch outs in 1,106 frames.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (-160)

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