Athletics try to stop the slide as Diamondbacks eye quick rebound
CBS Sports analyst Matt Severance backs Arizona in Tuesday’s matchup, with the Athletics seeking their first consecutive wins since June.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
The Athletics arrive at Chase Field on Tuesday with one win in the bank and a nasty trend still hanging over them: according to CBS Sports betting analyst Matt Severance, the club has not won back-to-back games since June 25-26.
Severance’s pick for the 9:40 p.m. ET game is Arizona to avoid batting in the bottom of the ninth at +110 at DraftKings. That means he is backing the Diamondbacks to be ahead after the top half of the ninth in their home park.
The matchup is the second game of the series after the Athletics beat Arizona 5-2 on Monday. Jacob Wilson homered in that win, according to Severance, giving the Athletics a chance to stack victories for the first time in weeks.
A first-half contender has fallen hard
The Athletics’ season looked far different a month ago. Severance reported that the team spent 44 days either alone in first place or tied for the AL West lead earlier in 2026.
After beating the Angels on June 18, the Athletics were 38-38 and a half-game out of first place, with the SportsLine Projection Model putting their playoff chances at about 30%, according to CBS Sports.
That picture has changed fast. The Athletics enter Tuesday at 43-57, with SportsLine now giving them a 1.3% shot at the postseason. Severance noted they are closer to the last-place Angels in the AL West than to a wild-card spot.
The biggest drag has been run prevention. CBS Sports reported that the Athletics have a minus-111 run differential, the worst in MLB by a wide margin, and a 5.29 team ERA, ahead of only Colorado.
The staff has produced 20 quality starts, which Severance noted is 34 fewer than the MLB-leading Dodgers.
Perkins gets the ball for the Athletics
Jack Perkins is scheduled to pitch for the Athletics. CBS Sports lists him at 2-5 with a 6.87 ERA, making his seventh start and 25th appearance of the season.
Severance reported that the Athletics have lost Perkins’ past five outings. In his most recent appearance, Perkins followed an opener in Detroit and took the loss after allowing three runs in three innings.
Perkins also faced Arizona last season as a rookie, giving up four runs and five hits over three innings in a home defeat, according to CBS Sports.
The SportsLine model projects Perkins for 5.3 innings, 5.9 strikeouts, 4.5 hits allowed and 2.7 earned runs Tuesday.
Arizona turns to a debut arm
The Diamondbacks enter at 51-49 and sit a half-game out of the final National League wild-card spot, according to CBS Sports. Severance wrote that Arizona should be a buyer ahead of the trade deadline.
The rotation, however, is thin. Corbin Burnes is working back from Tommy John surgery and is apparently not expected before September, if he returns then, according to Severance. Zac Gallen and Michael Soroka are on the injured list, and Severance wrote that Gallen’s season might be over.
Arizona is expected to start rookie left-hander Kohl Drake, a 26-year-old making his major-league debut. CBS Sports reported that Drake, listed at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, came from Texas in a 2025 deadline deal and is ranked as Arizona’s No. 10 prospect.
Drake is 3-5 with a 6.92 ERA in 66.1 innings at Triple-A Reno this season, according to CBS Sports. Severance noted that Pacific Coast League numbers can be inflated by hitter-friendly parks.
The Athletics have gone 12-22 against left-handed starters, according to CBS Sports. SportsLine projects Drake for 5.0 innings, 4.9 strikeouts, 6.2 hits allowed and 2.5 earned runs.
Severance also reported that Corbin Carroll, who did not play Monday, should be back in Arizona’s lineup Tuesday.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.