Baltimore Orioles vs Athletics Picks and Prediction for Saturday, August 29, 2026

The Baltimore Orioles visit the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Saturday, with the first pitch at 10:05 PM ET. Baltimore is 65-69, fourth in the AL East and 14.5 games behind Tampa Bay. The Orioles are also three games behind Cleveland for the final AL Wild Card spot and are 3-2 over their last five after Thursday’s 7-5 loss to St. Louis. The Athletics are 53-81, fourth in the AL West and 14 games behind Houston. The A’s are 4-1 over their last five after Wednesday’s 7-4 win over Minnesota. The Athletics lead the season series 2-1. Check out our free MLB picks.

Baltimore Orioles Need More from Their Pitching Staff

Baltimore’s offense has produced some big games recently, scoring 13 runs against St. Louis on Tuesday and eight the following night. The Orioles have scored 609 runs this season with 164 home runs, but their .237 batting average ranks 25th in MLB. Baltimore has a .318 on-base percentage and .399 slugging percentage. The Orioles are 31-35 away from home and have a minus-24 run differential, which helps explain why Baltimore remains below .500 and outside the current Wild Card places.

Pete Alonso has been Baltimore’s biggest source of power, hitting .274 with 32 home runs, 91 RBIs and 138 hits. Alonso also owns a .362 on-base percentage and .512 slugging percentage. Gunnar Henderson has added 20 home runs, 52 RBIs and 10 stolen bases, while Samuel Basallo has 17 homers in 94 games. Baltimore’s pitching staff ranks 18th in MLB with a 4.19 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and .254 opponent batting average. The Orioles have allowed 633 runs, 24 more than they have scored.

Injuries: Blaze Alexander and Tyler O'Neill are on the 10-Day IL. Felix Bautista, Ryan Helsley and Ryan Mountcastle are on the 60-Day IL.

Athletics Offense Faces Pressure from Poor Pitching Numbers

The Athletics have won four of their last five, with three of those victories decided by two runs or fewer. The A’s swept the final two listed games against Minnesota after taking two of three in Houston. Their offense ranks 13th in MLB with a .245 batting average, along with a .319 on-base percentage and .402 slugging percentage. The Athletics have scored 585 runs and hit 158 home runs, but their 25-41 home record has been a major problem throughout the season.

Nick Kurtz has 21 home runs and a team-high 69 RBIs while batting .256 with a .396 on-base percentage and .483 slugging percentage. Tyler Soderstrom has 19 home runs, 56 RBIs and 27 doubles, while Jeff McNeil is batting .265 with 99 hits. The larger concern is the pitching staff. The Athletics rank 29th in MLB with a 5.46 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and .270 opponent batting average. They have allowed 770 runs, producing a minus-185 run differential.

Injuries: Denzel Clarke and Brooks Kriske are on the 60-Day IL. Jose Suarez is on the 15-Day IL, while Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and Shea Langeliers are on the 10-Day IL.

Pitching Matchup

Baltimore Orioles - Shane Baz

Baz is 4-14 with a 4.04 ERA and 1.35 WHIP through 151.1 innings. The right-hander has allowed 152 hits and 52 walks while striking out 135. Baz has surrendered only 11 home runs across his workload, but the combination of 204 hits and walks has produced frequent traffic on the bases. His 151.1 innings are the largest workload of either starter by more than 60 innings.

Athletics - Jack Perkins

Perkins is 3-9 with a 6.68 ERA and 1.48 WHIP across 90.1 innings. The right-hander has recorded 104 strikeouts, but he has also allowed 96 hits, 38 walks and 17 home runs. Perkins has a strong strikeout total for his innings pitched, yet his ERA and home-run total show the damage opponents have created when making contact. His 6.68 ERA is 2.64 runs higher than Baz’s mark.

Baltimore Orioles vs Athletics Game Pick

• Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore has the clearer pitching advantage Saturday, starting with Baz against a struggling Athletics staff. Baz owns a 4.04 ERA, while Perkins sits at 6.68, and Oakland ranks 29th in MLB with a 5.46 team ERA. The Orioles also have more home runs and runs scored this season, led by Alonso’s 32 homers and 91 RBIs. Oakland has won four of five, but its minus-185 run differential remains difficult to overlook. Baltimore’s stronger pitching numbers make the Orioles the play.

Baltimore Orioles vs Athletics Over/Under Pick

• Over

Saturday’s scoring outlook points toward the Over because neither pitching staff has consistently limited damage. Oakland owns a 5.46 team ERA and has allowed 770 runs, the highest total shown in the American League. Perkins has a 6.68 ERA with 17 home runs allowed in 90.1 innings. Baltimore has also allowed 633 runs with a 4.19 team ERA. The Orioles scored 26 runs across their three games in St. Louis, while Oakland scored 28 over its last five games overall.