MLB Baseball
2026-07-30 - Boston Red Sox at Athletics
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : Major League Baseball
Thursday 30th July 2026 - Scheduled 9:40pm EST
2:40am (British Time)
Preview
A strong run of form has given the Boston Red Sox (56-51) the impetus needed to try and bring in reinforcements for the final push towards the Playoffs. Six weeks ago the Red Sox were looking like an underachiever that would have to sell off players at the trade deadline, but matching a franchise record run of wins has moved them into the Wild Card race in the American League.
Since the winning run was snapped, Boston have just struggled for the same kind of consistency that had put that run together. Despite that, they have continued to win series and the Red Sox are looking to win another by taking the last of this four game set.
It has been another disappointing campaign for the Athletics (45-63) and only two teams have won fewer games.
They will spend the rest of the season giving players opportunities to grow and the Athletics will hand the ball to Mason Barnett on Thursday. The sophomore Major League pitcher has a 1-1 record and 4.74 ERA in fourteen appearances this season and Mason Barnett is set for his first start of 2026.
Last season he struggled in five starts in his rookie season, but Mason Barnett is given another shot even though he has been struggling in July. Not only does he hold a 0-1 appearance from five appearances, but Mason Barnett has a 10.61 ERA in that time and he is likely going to be used like an opener rather than someone being asked to go through the batting line up more than twice.
Limited starting experience makes it surprising to note that Mason Barnett will be making his third start against the Boston Red Sox having done so twice last season. Mason Barnett had a 0-0 record from those two starts in 2025, but also had a 5.87 ERA.
The Red Sox will be going with a pitcher with plenty of Major League experience as they hand the ball to Sonny Gray who would have been a trade asset if Boston had not pushed into a position to make the post-season.
Sonny Gray has a 12-2 record and 2.78 ERA in nineteen starts in 2026 as he prepares to face the team where he began his Major League career back in 2013.
The pitcher had put together a 4-0 record and 1.11 ERA from five starts, but that run was snapped most recently when Sonny Gray gave up five runs in 5 Innings thrown against the Toronto Blue Jays to be saddled with the decision loss.
He is facing the Athletics for the first time this season, but Gray was knocked around for seven runs in 6 Innings thrown for the St Louis Cardinals last season.
Prediction
These teams are travelling in very different directions and Sonny Gray can bounce back from a rough outing to end July with another strong performance.
It should give the Boston Red Sox the foundation to get the better of the Athletics and secure this series win having already taken two of three from them this week.
The Pick :
Athletics 2-6 Boston Red Sox
