The Texas Rangers will take on the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. This AL matchup will get going at 7:10 p.m. ET and Fox Sports Southwest is in line to televise the game.
Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays Odds
The Rays are only 4-12 SU and 8-8 ATS. They’ve lost 8.4 units for moneyline bettors and 0.8 units against the spread (ATS). The Rangers are 6-12 SU and have gone 7-11 ATS. Overall, the team’s lost 1.6 units for gamblers taking the moneyline through the early portions of the season and 7.4 units ATS.
Tampa Bay games have an over/under record of 10-6 so far in 2018. Texas has an over/under record of 8-9-1.
Matt Moore will get the nod for the visiting Rangers. The southpaw Moore is 0-3 with an 8.76 ERA and nine strikeouts. He has yet to face the Rays this year and did not record a start against them in 2017, either.
The Rays are turning to Yonny Chirinos (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who has 12 strikeouts and two walks to his name as well as a WHIP of 0.70. Chirinos did not accrue any MLB pitching stats last season.
Texas’ pitchers have allowed 5.2 runs per game and its starting pitchers own a 5.72 ERA, 1.59 WHIP and 8.43 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 3.33, along with a WHIP of 1.59 and a K/9 of 8.32.
The Rangers offense has slashed .226/.297/.367 on its way to 3.3 runs scored per game in 2018, including 3.5 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 3.4 per game over the team’s last five contests (2-3 SU).
Shortstop Elvis Andrus and outfielder Nomar Mazara have led Texas’ offense. Andrus is hitting .327/.426/.500 with 17 hits, five RBIs and seven runs scored, while Mazara is hitting .311 with 19 hits, two homers, five RBIs and seven runs scored.
Mazara did not do as well batting in road games last season. Over 301 plate appearances, he put up a slash line of .206/.276/.360 (compared to his total season line of .253/.323/.422).
For the home team, Tampa Bay’s pitchers have given up 5.3 runs per game overall this season. Its starters have an ERA of 4.79, a WHIP of 1.34 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 8.8. The bullpen has a 4.90 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 8.1 K/9.
The Tampa Bay hitters have produced 3.5 runs per outing, including 4.1 per game over its last 10 games and 3.6 per game over their last five. The team has slashed .241/.323/.349 over its last five matchups and is 1-4 SU during that span.
The Rays’ hitters have been led by outfielder Mallex Smith and second baseman Daniel Robertson. Smith is slashing .409/.458/.545 with 18 hits, three RBIs and six runs scored, and Robertson’s line sits at .269/.472/.423 with seven hits, two RBIs and seven runs.
The Rangers have gained 0.8 units and are 6-7 ATS when facing a y starter this season. The over has cashed in five of those games, compared to seven that’ve gone under against -handed starting pitchers. On the other hand, the Rays have lost 1.4 units and are 5-1 ATS when facing a left-handed starting pitcher. The over has hit in four of those games, as opposed to two that’ve cashed the under.
Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays MLB Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Rays, ATS Winner – Rangers, O/U – OVER
Betting Trends
- The over has hit in five of Tampa Bay’s last seven games.
- Texas has posted 19.5 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 outings and 17.4 over its last five.
- The Rangers have hit 13 home runs in their last 10 games, including 10 over their last five.
