The Arizona Diamondbacks (23-18) kick off a 9-game road trip on Monday with the 1st game of a 3-game series against the Oakland Athletics (9-33). First pitch from Oakland Coliseum is at 9:40 p.m. ET.

Season series: First meeting since the A’s won 4-0 in 2021.

The Diamondbacks just finished a 6-4 homestand and won the final 3 games of a 4-game set with the San Francisco Giants over the weekend.

The A’s are 1-3 on their current homestand. They have lost 2 games in a row and 7 of their last 8 contests overall.

Diamondbacks at Athletics projected starters

RHP Merrill Kelly vs. RHP Drew Rucinski

Kelly (3-3 3.18 ERA) makes his 9th start. He has a 1.15 WHIP 4.0 BB/9 and 9.1 K/9 through 45 1/3 IP.

• Last start: No-decision 6 IP 4 ER 4 H 1 BB 6 K in a 5-4 home loss to the Miami Marlins Wednesday
• Has 4 starts this season with 0 or 1 ER allowed

Rucinski (0-3 8.16 ERA) makes his 4th start. He has a 2.09 WHIP 9 BB and 6 K through 14 1/3 IP.

• Last start: Loss 5 IP 7 R (5 ER) 6 H 3 BB 2 K in a 10-5 defeat at the New York Yankees Tuesday
• Has faced the Diamondbacks just once in his career facing (and retiring) just 1 batter in a 2018 relief appearance

Diamondbacks at Athletics odds

• Moneyline (ML): Diamondbacks -200 (bet $200 to win $100) | Athletics +165 (bet $100 to win $165)
• Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Diamondbacks -1.5 (-125) | Athletics +1.5 (+105)
• Over/Under (O/U): 9 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Diamondbacks at Athletics picks and predictions

Prediction

Diamondbacks 5 Athletics 3

Moneyline

The Diamondbacks are 9-8 on the road this season while the A’s are a measly 5-15 at home.

Oakland has lost 7 of its last 8 games and has been held to 3 or fewer runs in 6 of those 8 games.

However risking 2 times your potential return on the Arizona (-200) moneyline is not advised.

PASS.

Run line/Against the spread

Oakland’s last 9 losses have been by more than 1 run.

Eight of the Diamondbacks’ last 10 victories have been by at least 2 runs.

BET DIAMONDBACKS -1.5 (-125).

Over/Under

Only 1 of Kelly’s starts this season has had a total of more than 8 runs.

Six of the last 7 for the Diamondbacks have not reached 10 total runs.

Five of the last 9 for the A’s have had fewer than 10 total runs.

BET UNDER 9 (-110).