Twins vs. Athletics First Five Innings Bet | August 20, 2025
Written by: Danny Burke
Last Update: Wed Aug 20, 2025, 11:43 am ET
Read Time: 4 minutes
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Twins vs. Athletics: Let's head north to Target Field, where the Twins and Athletics meet for game two of their three-game set. Last night, the A's handed Minnesota a 6-3 defeat, marking the Twins' 67th loss of the season and pushing them nine games back from Wild Card contention. It's been a disappointing year for Minnesota – will their woes continue tonight? Let's dive into my best first five innings bet between the Athletics and Twins.
For additional information on picks, props, moneylines, and more on today's slate, take a look at our MLB Picks Page or our MLB Odds Page, here.
Twins vs. Athletics Best Bet – August 20
Can Brent Rooker and the A's deliver another win against the Twins?
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The Twins' offensive struggles have fueled their disappointing season. Against right-handed pitching, they sit 23rd in both batting average (.240) and wRC+ (98). Over the past month, things have only declined, with a .228 average and a 96 wRC+.
Tonight, they'll face right-hander J.T. Ginn, whose season has been anything but ordinary. He opened the year in the rotation, starting four games before injury setbacks shifted him to the bullpen. Since July 22, however, Ginn has returned to the rotation and made five starts.
He's allowed 12 earned runs over his last three starts, but those results don't tell the full story. Despite carrying a 5.04 ERA on the season, his expected ERA suggests it should be closer to 3.95. On top of that, his 5.16 FIP is backed by an expected FIP of 3.45. These numbers indicate Ginn's results should improve going forward. With a 53% ground-ball rate and an 18% strikeout-to-walk ratio, it's clear he's got the juice.
He's done much better on the road, too, posting a 3.29 ERA and a 2.49 xFIP, whereas at home those numbers show a 6.75 ERA and a 4.39 xFIP.
A's vs. Bailey Ober
Following a 2024 season with a 12-9 record, a 3.98 ERA and a 3.83 xFIP, Ober has taken a 180 in the wrong direction.
Currently, Ober is 4-7, with a 5.15 ERA and a 4.85 xFIP. He's also allowing two home runs per nine innings pitched and has an incredibly low ground ball rate of 29%.
That's a recipe for disaster, especially against an Athletics offense that's been crushing righties this season. Over the past month, they rank fifth in ISO (.208) and sixth in OPS (.803), wOBA (.343) and wRC+ (117) against RHP.
A's Flaws
Now, this isn't just about ripping the Twins and hyping up the A's. Everyone knows the Athletics have plenty of flaws — most notably in the bullpen. Their relievers own a 5.00 ERA, ranking 28th in Major League Baseball. The Twins' bullpen at least offers a bit more stability; while their 4.26 ERA doesn't stand out, the 3.95 xFIP suggests better underlying performance.
That said, the core of this handicap comes down to the starting pitchers, which is why I'm narrowing my focus to the first five innings and avoiding any late-game bullpen chaos. Let's take a stab at some plus money with the road team and look for them to take advantage in the first half of this contest.
Best Bet: A's First Five Moneyline (+100) odds via BetOnline
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Danny Burke is a betting analyst with a decade of sports media experience. He got his start at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, sharing picks on the local ESPN affiliate. After college, he hosted shows for VSiN in Las Vegas before returning to Chicago to launch 'Rush Hour', the first daily sports betting show from an Illinois casino. He also co-hosted 'Props and Locks' on Fox32’s Bears pregame show and ran 'Bet On, Chicago' on WLS-AM 890.
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