Athletics vs. Boston Red Sox Prediction and Picks - Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Boston continues its push towards the postseason on Wednesday with the visit of the dangerous Athletics. Find out more about this matchup with our Athletics vs. Red Sox prediction and picks. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm ET at Fenway Park, home of the Sox.
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A's look to cause more mayhem
While the Athletics (71-80) are well out of the playoff race this year, they are still causing plenty of problems for other contenders. The A's put a big dent in the Reds' own postseason hopes with a three-game sweep over the weekend and they are now looking to do the same for the Sox at Fenway to continue their late revival, getting off to a good start with a tight 2-1 win Tuesday. The team is 30-23 since the All-Star Break and on course to record its third straight month above .500 as it sits 8-5 so far in September.
Rookie Mason Barnett is on the mound Wednesday for his fourth career start in the majors. The right-hander has struggled early on with the jump up from minor league ball, going 1-1 with an 8.53 ERA and a WHIP of 1.89. Barnett has given up six walks and seven extra-base hits in 13.1 MLB innings but only one home run, hit by the Rangers' Wyatt Langford on his debut. In his last start Barnett pitched 3.2 innings against Wednesday's opponents the Sox in Sacramento, allowing three earned runs in a no-decision.
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Sox still in Wild Card battle
The AL East now looks out of reach for the Red Sox (82-69), meaning that they must focus their efforts on securing a Wild Card spot. The Sox sit seven games back from the division-leading Blue Jays with 11 left to play in the regular season and currently occupy the third AL Wild Card place, 2.5 clear of the Guardians who are the closest team currently outside of the playoff positions. Boston has gone 6-7 so far in September, slowing down after terrific months in July and August, which put them back in the playoff discussion, and dropped a key series 2-1 against the Yankees over the weekend to drop back to third place in the AL East before losing Tuesday's opener to the A's.
Lucas Giolito is back on the mound on Wednesday against the Athletics. The 31-year-old is on course to record the best season of his career in MLB, going 10-4 in 24 starts with a 3.31 ERA. After a slow start, he managed to step his game up as the year has gone by and has recorded a 2.59 ERA in his last 15 starts, going 7-3. Last time out he was unlucky to pick up the L against the Yankees after giving up two runs (one earned) in 5.2 innings while striking out six.
Athletics vs. Red Sox pick
Moneyline Pick for Athletics vs. Red Sox
- Red Sox -1.5 (4 units)
Barnett had a tough time in his last start against the Red Sox, failing to get out of the fourth inning, and I don't see things getting any easier for him at Fenway in a game where I am backing Boston to cover the runline and put up a comfortable win. The A's face the additional challenge of getting the best of Giolito in a ballpark where he has dominated lately, putting up an ERA of 0.80 in his last seven home starts dating back to June 10. The Sox are 6-1 in those games when Giolito has been on the mound.
Take the Red Sox on the runline.
Over/under Pick for Athletics vs. Red Sox
- Over (5 units)
The A's strength is at the plate, where they have been tearing up pitching staffs across MLB. Add into the mix Boston's own sluggers and the hitter-friendly environs at Fenway and a big score is looking like a smart bet for Wednesday. The Athletics are tied for fifth in team OPS in MLB at .759 with the Sox just behind in eighth (.749). And it is not all down to the field dimensions in Sacramento: they have hit 111 home runs in away games this year at a rate of 1.48/G, the fourth-best road mark in the league and even better than their home average of 1.33 HR/G. The Sox similarly hit the ball extremely well at Fenway with a .770 home OPS (fourth in MLB) and have gone 32-26-1 on the over as home favorite this year.
Take the over.
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