The ice-cold Tampa Bay Rays will try to avoid losing their fifth straight game they play host to the Texas Rangers at Tropicana Field. Fox Sports Southwest will be airing this AL matchup and the action gets underway at 7:10 p.m. ET.
Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays Odds
Oddsmakers are listing Texas (+145) as the underdog to Tampa Bay (-155). Bettors can wager on the game’s total with odds sitting at +100 for over 8.5 runs and -120 for under 8.5. The game’s current runline odds sit at -150 for betting the Rangers +1.5 runs and +130 for the Rays -1.5 runs.
The Rangers have gone 6-11 SU this year and are 6-10 against the spread (ATS). They’ve lost 3.1 units for moneyline bettors in the season’s early going and 7.3 units ATS. The Rays are 3-12 SU and 7-7 ATS. The team’s lost 8.1 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 0.9 units ATS.
Rays games have an over/under record of 8-6 so far in 2018. The Rangers have an over/under record of 7-8-1.
The Rangers just got a 3-1 victory over the Astros, while the Rays are coming off of a 10-4 loss against the Phillies.
Southpaw Martin Perez is the probable starter for the visiting Rangers. Perez is 1-1 with an 11.88 ERA and three strikeouts. He has yet to face the Rays this year and only made one start against them in 2017 (0-0, 9.00 ERA and six strikeouts across five innings).
The Rays are handing the ball to lefty Blake Snell (1-1, 3.60 ERA), who has 17 punchouts and 10 walks, as well as a 1.20 WHIP. Snell did not record a start against the Rangers in 2017.
Tampa Bay’s pitchers have allowed 5.4 runs per game overall this year as a unit. Its starters have a 5.10 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 4.68 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 8.1 K/9.
Tampa Bay’s offense has produced 3.2 runs per outing, including 3.5 per game over its last 10 games and 3.2 per game over its last five. The team has slashed .233/.346/.313 over its last five matchups and is 1-4 SU during that span.
Joey Wendle has helped lead the Rays’ offense this season with 10 hits, four RBIs and four runs scored. .
In the other dugout, Texas’ pitchers have allowed 5.1 runs per game and its starters own a 5.25 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 8.40 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 3.53, along with a WHIP of 1.52.
The Rangers offense has slashed .225/.299/.364 on its way to 3.2 runs scored per game this season, including 3.7 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 2.8 per game over the team’s last five outings (2-3 SU).
Texas’ hitters have been led by Elvis Andrus, who is slashing .327/.426/.500 with 17 hits, five RBIs and seven runs scored. He seemed to enjoy hitting lefties on the road last season, maintaining a slash line of .318/.352/.561 across 71 such plate appearances (his total season line was .297/.337/.471).
Texas Rangers at Tampa Bay Rays MLB Tip
Predictions: SU Winner – Rays, ATS Winner – Rangers, O/U – OVER
Notes
Betting Notes
The over has cashed in five of Tampa Bay’s last seven games.
The Rangers have hit 12 home runs in their last 10 games, including eight over their last five.
Texas has recorded 20.1 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 16.4 over its last five.
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