Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins Picks and Prediction for July 24, 2026
The Athletics visit the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 24, 2026. The game is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. and will be televised on MLB.TV. The Athletics enter the matchup with a 43-59 overall record and a 23-29 record on the road, while Minnesota is 50-53 overall and 26-25 at home. ESPN Analytics gives the Athletics a 39.0% chance of winning and the Twins a 61.0% chance. The listed game-time temperature is 77 degrees. At the time of this writing the odds were not released. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks.
Starting Pitchers
Jacob Lopez is scheduled to start for the Athletics against Minnesota right-hander Zebby Matthews. Lopez is 4-4 with a 6.64 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP through 59.2 innings. He has allowed 67 hits and 11 home runs while recording 49 strikeouts and issuing 36 walks. Matthews enters with a 4-7 record, a 5.40 ERA, and a 1.34 WHIP across 70 innings. He has surrendered 73 hits and 15 home runs while collecting 58 strikeouts and allowing 21 walks. Matthews has the lower ERA and WHIP while recording nine more strikeouts and issuing 15 fewer walks. Lopez has allowed fewer hits and four fewer home runs, although he has pitched 10.1 fewer innings.
Athletics Look to Rebound Behind Their Offensive Power
The Athletics enter this contest with a 43-59 overall record and a 23-29 mark away from home. They have won two of their last five games, recently earning victories over Arizona by a 5-2 score and Washington by a 15-1 margin. The Athletics also recently lost to Arizona 15-5 and 6-5, with the latter game requiring 10 innings, while another defeat against Washington ended 5-2. The visiting team has scored at least five runs in four of its last five games.
The Athletics have produced a .248 batting average, a .324 on-base percentage, and a .408 slugging percentage. They have scored 458 runs on 862 hits while hitting 127 home runs. Their pitching staff carries a 5.39 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP while allowing opposing hitters to bat .268. The staff has recorded 870 strikeouts and issued 404 walks. The Athletics also enter with a 12-22 record in day games, although Friday’s matchup is scheduled for the evening.
Power represents one of the Athletics’ clearest statistical strengths. Their 127 home runs are one more than Minnesota’s total, and they hold a slight advantage in on-base percentage at .324 compared with .321. The Athletics have also collected one more hit and recorded 22 more strikeouts than the Twins. However, run prevention remains a significant weakness. Their team ERA is 0.62 higher than Minnesota’s, while their WHIP and opponent batting average are also higher. Those pitching numbers could make it difficult for the Athletics to capitalise on their offensive advantages.
Minnesota Seeks to Build on Its Latest Victory at Home
Minnesota is 50-53 overall and 26-25 at Target Field entering this matchup. The Twins have won one of their last five games, with that victory coming by a 10-6 score over Cleveland in their most recent contest. Minnesota recently lost to Cleveland by scores of 5-2 and 13-4 while also suffering defeats of 10-1 and 6-2 against Chicago. Although the Twins struggled during most of that five-game stretch, their latest performance ended the four-game losing streak with their highest offensive output of the period.
The Twins have recorded a .248 batting average, a .321 on-base percentage, and a .413 slugging percentage. They have accumulated 861 hits, scored 495 runs, and hit 126 home runs. Minnesota’s pitching staff enters with a 4.77 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP while holding opposing batters to a .256 average. The staff has collected 848 strikeouts and issued 372 walks. Minnesota also owns a 21-24 record in day games, though this game is scheduled for 8:10 p.m.
Minnesota’s strongest advantage is its ability to convert its offensive production into more runs. The Twins have scored 495 runs, which is 37 more than the Athletics, despite the teams sharing the same .248 batting average and Minnesota having one fewer hit. The Twins also own the higher slugging percentage at .413. Their pitching numbers are stronger across ERA, WHIP, walks, and opponent batting average. Minnesota has issued 32 fewer walks and allows opponents to bat 12 points lower, giving the home team the better overall run-prevention profile.
Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins Picks and Prediction
Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins Pick
- Pick: Minnesota Twins Moneyline
Minnesota is my side selection based on its stronger overall record, winning home mark, and advantage in ESPN Analytics’ matchup projection. The Twins are 26-25 at Target Field, while the Athletics are 23-29 on the road. Minnesota has also scored 37 more runs and holds the better team ERA, WHIP, and opponent batting average. Both scheduled starters have elevated ERAs, but the Minnesota starter enters with the lower ERA and WHIP. The Athletics have won more games during the teams’ respective last-five stretches, but Minnesota’s 61.0% matchup probability and broader statistical advantages support the home team.
Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins Total Pick
- Pick: Over 9.0
Take the over if the total is set at 9.0. I prefer the over because the Athletics enter with a 5.39 team ERA, while Minnesota carries a 4.77 mark. The scheduled starters have ERAs of 6.64 and 5.40, respectively. The Athletics’ last two games produced 20 and 11 combined runs, while Minnesota’s latest contest finished with 16 combined runs. Minnesota also allowed at least five runs in each of its last five games, and the Athletics scored at least five runs in four of their last five. Those supplied results and pitching statistics make the over my preferred total.
Final Score Prediction: Minnesota Twins 6 – Athletics 5
This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Thursday.