Boston Red Sox vs. Athletics Picks and Prediction, Wednesday, September 10, 2025
On Wednesday night, the Boston Red Sox and Sacramento Athletics meet in the finale game of a three-game series at Sutter Health Park, and we will set you up with a Red Sox vs. Athletics prediction to go along with free picks and a look at the game. Payton Tolle will pitch for the Red Sox, while the Athletics' starter remains unannounced. Read on for a prediction on the score and a game breakdown.Need a hot take on the MLB Season? Check out our Free MLB Picks and cash in.
Tolle Will Pitch, Not Start
Payton Tolle will pitch in the final game of this road series with the Athletics. But, there has been a development midday Tuesday.
- Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that Tolle won't start Wednesday's game against the Athletics in Sacramento but could still factor into the team's pitching plan that day, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
- Tolle has been pitching on at least five days' rest this season and is coming off a poor showing Friday against the Diamondbacks in which he surrendered five earned runs over three innings.
- The rookie will not be asked to handle a traditional starting role when his turn in the rotation comes up on Wednesday. The Red Sox could still use Tolle as a multi-inning reliever behind an opener on Wednesday, but the 22-year-old lefty was still likely to have his pitch count monitored carefully in that scenario.
- Tolle's second start was obviously a disappointment compared to his encouraging MLB debut versus the Pirates last week. He's now allowed seven runs with a 10:6 K:BB across 8.1 innings.
Boston has a 3.5-game lead on the second wild-card spot and should be able to make it in the playoffs barring a huge setback.
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Barnett Expected to Start
The Athletics have yet to announce a starter for this game against the Red Sox. Mason Barnett is expected to take the mound.
- He allowed four runs on three hits and five walks while striking out eight over five innings to earn the win versus the Angels last Friday.
- The Athletics' third-inning eruption gave Barnett enough run support, and the rookie right-hander was able to gut out five innings on 102 pitches (55 strikes) to secure his first win in the majors.
- It was still far from an encouraging performance for the 24-year-old, who has now given up nine runs with a 9:5 K:BB over his first nine innings in the majors.
The Athletics are far out of the wild-card race and have a handful of injuries in the rotation, so there's some room for Barnett to learn on the job. He's tentatively projected to make his next start at home versus the Red Sox, but there has been no official announcement as of Tuesday afternoon. Sacramento has lost seven of its last 10 games and holds a 66-79 record heading into the second game of this series.
Red Sox vs. Athletics Pick
Spread Pick for Red Sox vs. Athletics
- Boston Red Sox -1.5 (4 Units)
The Red Sox are fighting for their spot in the American League Wildcard, and they face an Athletics team struggling to fill gaps in their starting rotation. The Athletics have yet to announce a starter for this game against the Red Sox. Mason Barnett is expected to take the mound. He has given up nine runs over his first nine innings in the Majors. Sacramento has lost seven of its last 10 games, and the Sox can shore up their spot with some big wins here. Take the Sox by two or more.
Over/Under Pick for Red Sox vs. Athletics
- UNDER (5 Units)
Payton Tolle is expected to pitch in this game against the Athletics, but manager Alex Cora said he will not start. The 22-year-old top prospect figures to be part of the mix after surrendering five runs over three innings on Friday in a loss to the Diamondbacks. There’s plenty of strikeout upside here against an Athletics team that has struck out an average of 12 times over their last 10 games against the Red Sox. Sacramento has averaged less than three runs per game over that same period. Take the under here.
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