In an AL matchup between a couple of division leaders, the Tampa Bay Rays host the Texas Rangers.
In the opener of this series yesterday, the Rangers took Game 1 with a 4-1 win.
This Rangers vs. Rays prediction will lay out the game odds, pitching matchup, key stats, and value player prop bets.
BetMGM Sportsbook has the Rays as the betting favorite in Game 2 at -140 with a total of 7.5 runs.
Rangers vs. Rays Odds
| Moneyline | Total (Over/Under) | Run Line |
| Rangers (+120) | Over 7.5 runs (-107) | Rangers +1.5 runs (-185) |
| Rays (-140) | Under 7.5 runs (-113) | Rays -1.5 runs (+150) |
How we got here
The Rangers (55-52) have won two in a row and four of their last five games. They are atop the AL West two games clear of the Seattle Mariners and are the only team in the division over .500.
The Rays (62-44) had won three in a row before dropping the opener of this series. While they have the most wins in the AL and are in first place in the AL East, they are only 1.5 games up on the New York Yankees.
Rangers vs. Rays betting analysis
On the season, the Rays are an MLB-best 38-16 at home, and the Rangers are 27-27 on the road.
By the numbers
Rangers
- Runs – Tied for 20th
- Team ERA – 20th
Rays
- Runs – 14th
- Team ERA – 8th
Pitching Matchup
MacKenzie Gore (6-8, 4.62 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) goes for the Rangers and in his last start gave up three runs in five innings in a 5-4 win over the Seattle Mariners. Texas has won his last three starts, but he has been up and down in his last six outings, giving up three runs or less in three and at least five runs in the other three, including the last two on the road.
Casey Legumina (2-1, 3.95 ERA, 1.32 WHIP) will be making a spot start, his third of the season, and in the first two he did not last past the second inning. He has given up two runs in his last four appearances, where he totaled five innings.
Tampa Bay bullpen will get a lot of work
With Legumina making a spot-start and likely not lasting long, the Rays’ bullpen will get a lot of work. This season they rank in the middle of the pack with a bullpen ERA of 4.09 and have given up the third-most home runs.
Rays have been solid on the hill
The Rays gave up four runs in yesterday’s loss, but in their last eight games they have only given up an average of 1.8 runs.
Rangers have also been getting good pitching
After giving up 18 runs in two losses, the Rangers have won five of their last seven games, where they have given up an average of 2.7 runs per game.
Power players have provided for Texas
Joc Pederson (.254, 19 home runs, 40 RBI) is tied for the club lead in home runs, had two in the game before the last one, and has three with five RBIs over the last five games.
Jake Burger (.238, 19 home runs, 66 RBIs) also has 19 dingers and leads the team in RBIs and has two home runs and five RBIs in the last four games.
Caminero has cooled off
Rays’ slugger Junior Caminero (.285, 29 home runs, 64 RBIs) had a torrid stretch at the end of last month and the start of this one with 10 home runs in nine games, but only has one since the All-Star break and none in the last 10 games.
The top three are slumping a bit but have been solid on the season
The Tampa Bay players with the three most at-bats and RBIs are Caminero, Yandy Diaz (.301, 14 home runs, 61 RBIs), and Jonathan Aranda (.285, 14 home runs, 65 RBIs), who have been solid on the season but have only combined for one RBI over the last six games.
Rangers vs. Rays prediction: Rays moneyline (-140)
Tampa Bay lost Game 1 at home but has the most home wins in the Majors. Their lineup has not been great in the last three games, but they will wake up in this one facing Gore, who has given up five runs in each of his last two road starts.
The Rays are the pick to get the win and even the series, which is the first between these teams this season.
Player Prop Picks
Here are some player prop bets we like at DraftKings Sportsbook:
- MacKenzie Gore to give up Over 2.5 runs (+108) – Great value here, as Gore has given up eight runs in his last two starts and five runs in each of his last two road starts.
- Jake Burger 2+ strikeouts (+149) – Burger has 111 strikeouts on the season and has six in the last three games.