The Texas Rangers are set to do battle against the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Park. Fox Sports Southwest will broadcast this AL matchup and the action gets going at 8:05 p.m. ET.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers Odds
Texas (+180) is the home-team underdog to Tampa Bay (-190) and oddsmakers have the Over/Under for this one at 9.5 runs (-105 for the over and -115 for the under). The game’s runline odds sit at -135 for taking the Rays -1.5 runs and +115 for the Rangers +1.5 runs.
The Rangers are 64-86 straight up (SU) and 73-76 against the spread (ATS). They’ve lost 5.4 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 7.8 units (ATS). The Rays have gone 83-66 SU this year and are 84-64 ATS. In total, the team’s accumulated 23.3 units for moneyline gamblers and 21.9 units ATS.
Rangers games have an over/under record of 71-68-10 in 2018. Tampa Bay has been a decent under bet with a total record of 65-78-5.
The left-handed Blake Snell is projected to start for the visiting Rays. Snell is 19-5 with a 2.03 ERA and 195 strikeouts. He’s 1-0 with nine strikeouts and a 1.42 ERA against Texas this year.
The Rangers will be sending righty Yovani Gallardo (8-5, 6.67 ERA) to the hill. Gallardo has 50 strikeouts and 40 walks to his name, as well as a 1.63 WHIP. Gallardo hasn’t faced the Rays yet this year and only made one start against them in 2017 (0-1, 4.26 ERA and six strikeouts across 6.1 innings).
Texas’ pitching staff has given up 5.2 runs per game overall in 2018 as a unit. Its starters have an ERA of 5.40, a WHIP of 1.44 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 6.3. The bullpen has a 4.30 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 8.2 K/9.
The Texas hitters have produced 4.7 runs per contest, including 3.2 per game over its last 10 games and 2.8 per game over their last five. The team’s hit .220/.289/.378 over its last five matchups and is 2-3 SU during that span.
Shin-soo Choo has helped lead the Rangers’ offense this season with 21 home runs, 62 RBIs and 80 runs scored.
In the visiting dugout, Tampa Bay’s pitchers have allowed 3.9 runs per game and its starting pitchers own a 3.62 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 9.40 K/9. The bullpen has managed an ERA of 3.63, along with a K/9 of 8.24.
The Rays offense has slashed .258/.333/.404 on its way to 4.3 runs scored per game this year, including 5.7 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 3.8 per game over the team’s last five contests (4-1 SU).
Matt Duffy has sparked Tampa Bay’s offense and is slashing .297/.361/.371 with four home runs, 42 RBIs and 53 runs scored.
The Rays just took the previous game in this series by a final score of three runs to zero.
Tampa Bay Rays at Texas Rangers MLB Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Rays, ATS Winner – Rays, O/U – OVER
Betting Notes
- The over has hit in four of Texas’ last seven games.
- The Rays have hit 14 home runs in their last 10 games. The Rangers have hit 10 over their last 10.
- Tampa Bay has recorded 23.1 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 outings and 19.0 over its last five.
