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- Check out Zack Meisel's series preview at MLB.com
- Rays rotation has a 2.71 ERA since the all-star break while the bullpen owns a 1.22 ERA. You have to go back to 1968 to find a team that has allowed less runs than the Rays have in their last 32 games (67). In the year of the pitcher, the Yankees allowed just 65 runs in a 32 game stretch while the Indians set the all-time mark allowing just 57 runs in 32 games.
- The Rays have won 6 of their last 7, 13 of their last 16, and 18 of their last 24. They are 15-5 in the month of August and 86-46 in August since the 2008 season. With a 213-207 all-time record in August, it is the only month in which the franchise has a winning month.
- They are 24-14 since the all-star break, which trails only Seattle (25-13) and the A's (24-13)
- 18 of the next 22 games are against teams currently over .500
- The Rays are just 30-37 all-time against the A's at home
- The two teams have split the season series 3 to 3 so far with each team winning a series on the road. These two teams have played two extra innings affairs already this season, both 4-3 wins for Oakland in 15 and 12 innings.