Melvin mum on Wild Card Game starter

SEATTLE -- The A’s know who they’ll be playing in Wednesday’s American League Wild Card Game presented by Hankook Tire. They know they’ll be facing the Rays. What they haven't yet decided is which starting pitcher they’ll send to the mound at the Coliseum for first pitch at 8:09 p.m. ET/5:09 p.m. PT on ESPN.

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After Saturday's 1-0 win over the Mariners, Oakland clinched the AL's No. 4 seed and will host Tampa Bay. But A’s manager Bob Melvin chose not to go into specifics of who will start the winner-take-all game at the Coliseum. But the skipper is expected to make an announcement on Sunday before the A's regular-season finale against the Mariners.

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Right-hander Mike Fiers was seen as the odds-on favorite to start the Wild Card Game for most of the season, but left-hander Sean Manaea has been superb since returning from left shoulder surgery.

Fiers has been dominant at the Coliseum this season, going 9-1 with a 2.54 ERA in 16 starts -- including a six-inning outing of one-run, four-hit ball against the Rays on June 22. Fiers also fared well in his one start at Tropicana Field this year, holding Tampa Bay to two runs over six innings.

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Manaea has had success in each of his five starts this year, allowing just four earned runs over 29 2/3 innings (1.21 ERA) with a 30-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Manaea could also have the edge when factoring in Tampa Bay’s primary run producers, such as Austin Meadows and Brandon Lowe, who've done more damage against right-handers this year.