Guardians vs. Athletics prediction and odds for Monday, April 3

The Cleveland Guardians took three of four from one AL West team, the Seattle Mariners, and now look to take care of another one on the road against the lowly Oakland Athletics.

Oakland dropped two of three to the Los Angeles Angels to start the season, and now welcome a team that is the favorite to win the AL Central in the Guardians. Cleveland's pitching staff is as talented as usual but the team has also looked sharp to start 2023. Can they beat an inferior opponent on Monday?

Here are the odds for this west coast matchup:

Guardians vs. Athletics odds, run line and total

Guardians vs. Athletics prediction and pick

The Guardians preach discipline at the plate and that hasn't changed this season. After being a top 10 team last season in terms of walk rate while posting the lowest strkeout percentage, its more of the same in 2023.

The Guardians have struck out at the fifth lowest rate in three games while drawing a walk on more than 10% of its plate appearances. It's a small sample size, but the team hasn't deviated from what has worked.

They face James Kaprielian and a bottom of the barrel A's bullpen on Monday and should have little issue getting on base against the veteran righty. Kaprielian walked more than 10% of its batters last season, and will struggle to limit his pitch count against the Guardains considering he lacks a strikeout pitch; he punched out less than seven batters per nine innings.

You have to lay a price to fade this Athletics team, but it's still a discount given that this is a division winning Guardians team that hasn't missed a beat to start the season.

You can comfortably fade the Athletics even if this is Cleveland's fifth game in a row on the road to start the season.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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