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Posted at 11:00 AM EST. Odds are subject to change.

Athletics +105 over Chicago

8:05 PM EST. Gage Jump (LHP – ATH) makes his major league debut and while backing a rookie against a veteran is rarely comfortable, this is not your typical pitching prospect. Jump features a mid-to-upper-90s fastball that has touched 99 mph, a legitimate swing-and-miss slider, and enough secondary offerings to keep hitters from sitting on one pitch. The Athletics' left-hander has dominated some of the most offensive environments in the minors, including Reno and Albuquerque, and his ability to miss bats gives him immediate upside. There are questions about his long-term durability, but for one start, we're interested in the talent and the price.

Jameson Taillon (RHP – CHC) continues to get priced like a reliable mid-rotation arm, but the underlying profile suggests something much closer to league average. Taillon doesn't miss many bats, his fly-ball rate continues to creep upward, and there is very little margin for error when so many balls are put in play. His respectable surface numbers are built largely on good control and favorable sequencing, but there is nothing in the profile that suggests he should be laying a price against a live underdog. He's a serviceable innings-eater, not a difference-maker.

The bigger issue is the number. Chicago is being asked to win this game often enough to justify favorite status despite sending a very ordinary starter to the mound. Oakland counters with a pitcher whose ceiling is considerably higher than the market appears to be giving him credit for. We don't need Jump to be an ace in his debut. We simply need him to be competitive while getting a plus price against a pitcher whose reputation exceeds his actual performance. At plus money, the Athletics offer the better value side and that's where we'll be.

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