Tommy Pham and the Tampa Bay Rays will be taking on the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in a Thursday showdown. The first pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. ET and Fox Sports Southwest will televise this AL showdown.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers Odds
Las Vegas has Tampa Bay (-150) as the favorite over Texas (+140). You can play matchup’s total with current odds sitting at +105 for over 10.5 runs and -125 for under 10.5. There’s a runline of Rays -1.5 (-105) and Rangers +1.5 (-115) for this matchup.
The Rays are 87-60 SU and have gone 76-70 against the spread (ATS). The team hasn’t moved the needle very much this year, gaining 1.9 units for gamblers taking the moneyline, despite having lost 3.2 units ATS. The Rangers, on the other hand, are 73-74 SU and 80-66 ATS. The team’s gained 9.0 units for moneyline bettors and 4.7 units ATS.
Texas games have a 65-78-3 over/under record in 2019. The Rays have an over/under record of 69-69-8.
The left-handed Brendan McKay will get the start for the visiting Rays. McKay is 2-3 with a 5.03 ERA and 48 strikeouts. He’s 1-0 with three strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA against Texas this year.
The Rangers will be sending lefty Kolby Allard (4-0, 3.78 ERA) to the mound. Allard has 29 punchouts and 11 walks to his name as well as a 1.38 WHIP. Allard hasn’t faced the Rays yet this year and did not record a start against them in 2018.
Tampa Bay’s pitching staff allowed 4.0 runs per game and its starting pitchers own a 3.55 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 10.27 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 3.75, along with a K-per-9 of 9.41.
Rays hitters have slashed .255/.329/.433 on their way to 4.7 runs scored per game this season, including 5.5 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 6.4 per game over the team’s last five contests (4-1 SU).
Tampa Bay’s hitters have been led by Tommy Pham and Austin Meadows, who have combined to blast 49 home runs. Pham is hitting .279/.377/.464 with 20 home runs, 62 RBIs, 69 runs and 20 steals, while Meadows (.288/.357/.557) is up to 29 homers, 80 RBIs and 71 runs scored.
For the home team, Texas’ pitchers have allowed 5.2 runs per game overall this year. Its starters have an ERA of 5.09, a WHIP of 1.45 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 8.4. The bullpen has a 4.62 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 8.8 K/9.
The Texas hitters are putting up 5.0 runs per outing, including 5.4 per game over its last 10 games and 7.8 per game over their last five. The team has hit .312/.381/.481 over its last five games and is 4-1 SU during that stretch.
Elvis Andrus and Shin-soo Choo have paced the Rangers’ batters this year. Andrus is hitting .274/.313/.393 with 10 home runs, 64 RBIs, 72 runs and 27 steals, and Choo’s line is .263/.365/.448 with 21 homers, 53 RBIs and 84 runs scored.
Rays vs. Rangers Free MLB Tip
Predictions: SU Winner – Rays, ATS Winner – Rays, O/U – UNDER
Betting Trends
- Tampa Bay has tallied 21 extra-base hits over its last five contests. Texas has 18 XBH over its last five.
- The Rangers have won five of their last six games SU.
- Tampa Bay has recorded 23.5 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 26.0 over its last five.
- The Rays have hit 11 home runs in their last 10 games, including six over their last five.
- The Rays have an OPS of .761 this season, including an OPS of .750 when facing left-handed pitchers. The Rangers’ OPS sits at .750 overall and .720 against southpaws.
