You have to go back to the 2003 Tigers to find a team with a worse record after 77 games than the A's. Oakland is 19-58 and has lost eight in a row.
So why the heck get involved with them?

Value and a good spot. This is a nice plus price to get a visiting team on the run line. If given 1 1/2 runs, the A's would be 13-3 in their last 16 games.

It's true. Oakland has either won, or lost by one run, 13 of the past 16 times. They've already been involved in 10 extra innings games this season.
The Blue Jays aren't exactly playing great. They are below .500 during their last dozen games. Toronto has been outscored by 12 runs in its last five games.

Then there's the pitching matchup of James Kaprielian, 2-6 with a 6.38 ERA, against Chris Bassitt, 7-5 with a 4.16 ERA. It's closer than you think.

Kaprielian is the one who has been in much better current form than Bassitt. Kaprielian is enjoying his best stretch going 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA in his last three starts. Bassitt is coming off his worst two-game stretch. He's allowed 11 earned runs on 18 hits and four walks with three homers during his past two games spanning only 6 2/3 innings.

Kaprielian's ERA since May 13 is 3.69. Bassitt's ERA during this same time frame is 4.07.

(Editor's note: Stephen Nover's Friday card is headed by his MLB Interleague Total of the Year, his largest Over/Under wager of the season.)