Two AL basement dwellers collide in Minnesota as Oakland visits Minnesota for a midweek showdown. J.T. Ginn starts for the A’s against Bailey Ober of the Twins, with both teams more focused on saving face than contending. The game shapes as a high-scoring affair given both lineups and a shaky pitching matchup, and the betting public is leaning toward offense with a total set at 9 and the A’s favored to push across runs.

Nick Kurtz stands out as the evening’s prime fantasy target. He’s posted a .306 average with 25 homers this season and hits .350 against right-handers, a clear edge in a left-on-left/right-on-right tilt against Ober. That power profile makes Kurtz a tempting homer prop at +245 as Oakland leans into right-handed pop against a pitcher who has surrendered multiple long balls in recent starts.

Ginn (5.04 ERA) and Ober (5.25) each carry significant risk. Ober has allowed 24 homers in 20 starts, 17 since June 1, while Ginn has been notably hit-or-miss since July, with a recent rough August. Oakland’s bullpen ranks near the bottom in ERA, amplifying the downside for bettors if the game spirals. Expect a run-heavy night that could push the Over to 9 or more.

Today’s MLB HR prop slate leans toward value plays with a clear focus on four players fueling today’s bets: Junior Caminero, Jurickson Profar, Trevor Larnach, and Miguel Andujar. Caminero brings a favorable home spot at Steinbrenner Field and a recent rhythm that supports over 0.5 HR at strong odds. Profar follows with a hot stretch and the Braves’ aggressive lineup exposure. Larnach looks to punish Ginn’s misgivings against left-handed batters, while Andujar has found form in a power-friendly venue facing Kikuchi. The piece stresses shopping odds across FanDuel and DraftKings to squeeze extra value from +320 to +750 ranges, plus noting a few long-shot targets on the slate. Weather and park factors are highlighted as key tailwinds for several picks, and the author emphasizes sticking to sharp lines and tracking late scratches or lineup shifts that could affect outcomes.

Three prime home-run props headline the Aug. 20 MLB slate: Jose Ramirez vs Brandon Pfaadt, Nick Kurtz vs Bailey Ober, and Kyle Schwarber vs Luis Castillo. Ramirez sits in a strong offensive window, carrying a .300+ clip recently and a track record of dingers against right-handers. Kurtz, thriving at .306 with 25 homers, draws a favorable right-hander in Ober who has coughed up plenty of deep balls. Schwarber, pacing the NL with 44 homers, faces Castillo but owns a solid .300 average and power against righty pitching. The bets carry varied upside with Ramirez at +425, Kurtz at +245, and Schwarber at +200, offering distinct paths to fantasy points or DFS value in a day with multiple afternoon starts.

The breakdown centers on matchups and recent form. Ramirez’s potential to exploit a right-hander with a late-season surge is tempered by the Diamondbacks’ bullpen, but his seven-day .300+ rate and 21 HR vs RHP tilt the odds. Kurtz’s breakout year, especially versus right-handers, is underscored by Ober’s homer-prone history (24 allowed in 20 starts, 17 since June 1). Schwarber’s career dominance of Castillo and his NL-leading HR pace add a high-upside element, even if Castillo has been stingy at times. Odds are dynamic, but each pick ties directly to recent production and favorable platoon angles, making them compelling targets for fantasy managers and prop bettors alike.

Alan Roden’s season ends with a left-thumb UCL sprain that could require surgery, costing him roughly two months away from the Twins. His first MLB stint was brief, and the injury trades off a potential everyday-outfielder path he was carving in Minnesota. The Twins also update Simeon Woods Richardson’s return from illness via a rehab start, while Connor Prielipp and Marek Houston continue to push in the minors, hinting at a deeper outfield and pitching pipeline for 2026.

Roden’s development trajectory remains intact long-term, but the immediate impact is a depth scare for Minnesota’s outfield as they navigate the post-deadline roster shuffle that brought in 13 players. The article also notes the post-deadline dynamic, with Roden the only newcomer to join the big league club, underscoring how the Twins’ farm-to-big-league pipeline could feed fantasy rosters ahead of spring training.

Meanwhile, Woods Richardson advances toward rejoining the MLB rotation after a parasite-removal procedure sidelined him, throwing in a Class AAA rehab and signaling a measured path back. Prielipp’s Class AAA debut features a heater touching 98 mph, illustrating the Twins’ high-upside pitching depth, while Marek Houston’s promotion to Cedar Rapids highlights Minnesota’s investment in its top prospects.

Joe Ryan labored through four innings, the shortest of his season, as three unearned runs in a chaotic fourth inning opened the door for Oakland to pull away 6-3 at Target Field. Defensive miscues and a key error helped fuel the inning, and Minnesota couldn’t recover despite Ryan’s early command and a late Twins flurry. Broader context: Minnesota’s season-long struggles continued, with the club sitting deep in the AL standings as the offense stalled and the defense faltered behind a promising young starter.

Offense mattered in spurts. Brooks Lee blasted a solo homer in the fourth, giving the Twins life, while Matt Wallner delivered an RBI double and Ryan Jeffers added a homer later. Nick Kurtz carried a five-plate-appearance streak, reaching base in all five trips and contributing an RBI double. The Athletics, boosted by a four-run fourth and a relentless approach, held on for the win as Minnesota’s bullpen kept them in it but could not bridge the gap.

Fantasy take: this pairing spotlighted breakout potential and risk. Lee’s power and on-base presence are intriguing; Kurtz’s multi-plate appearances keep him in the streamer conversation in deeper leagues. For Minnesota, manage expectations on Ryan’s next outing and monitor whether the defense corrals routine plays to support a rebound performance.