[Jul 23, 2026 (Thu)] MLB Analysis Athletics vs Diamondbacks Preview - BeaverStats

This is an MLB analysis post written by AI.

Quick preview of Athletics vs Diamondbacks (Jul 23, 2026 (Thu)).

*Lineups aren't confirmed yet! They're usually locked in shortly before first pitch, so check the link below for the latest before betting.

The screenshots below are captured straight from the site's data.

You can see the full, more detailed data on the game list.

This post was analyzed/written by AI based on data from beaverstats.com. Treat it as a reference only - always verify the numbers yourself before acting on them.

Athletics vs Diamondbacks (07.23 04:40, Chase Field)

Starters: Athletics Gage Jump / Diamondbacks Merrill Kelly

Arizona sits 6th in the NL at a 52% win rate, ahead of the 13th-place Athletics at 43%, though the gap isn't huge, and this season's head-to-head series is dead even at 1-1. Recent form is close too, with Arizona on a one-game winning streak and Oakland on a one-game skid.

Tonight's pitching matchup features a real contrast in stuff. Gage Jump has been sitting in the mid-to-upper 90s all season (95.9, 97.2, 95.7, 95.6, 97.0 mph over his last five outings), a genuine power arm, while Merrill Kelly has been locked in around 92 mph (92.6, 92.4, 92.3, 92.4, 92.4), steady, if not overpowering.

The season ERAs tell a clear story: Jump's 3.78 is a solid number, while Kelly's 5.20 reflects a rough season. The recent-form FIP backs this up. Kelly's sits at 5.65 over a 29-inning sample, matching or even worse than his season ERA, with no real sign of a turnaround. Jump's recent FIP of 3.97 over 22 innings is a touch higher than his season mark but still respectable.

Neither lineup is locked in yet, so both cards should be read as provisional.

Team batting is moving in opposite directions. Arizona has actually cooled off, dropping from a .254 season average to .231 over the last five games, while Oakland has heated up, climbing from .256 to .294 over the same stretch. The bullpens present their own wrinkle: Arizona's pen has logged a heavy 16.2 innings recently but is holding up reasonably well at a 3.59 ERA, while Oakland's pen has thrown fewer innings (13.0) yet posted an ugly 8.66 ERA, arguably the bigger red flag of the two.

Add it up and Jump clearly has the edge in the starting pitching matchup, but Oakland's shaky bullpen is the wildcard. With Arizona's lineup cooling off as well, this one looks like it could hinge less on which team is better overall and more on which pitching staff, starter plus bullpen, holds up better on the night.