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Chris Meaney
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Best MLB Bets and Picks Today
Texas Rangers @ Tampa Bay Rays
Texas Rangers RL +1.5 -175 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
The Texas Rangers and the Tampa Bay Rays kick off a three-game series at Tropicana Field Friday night. The Rangers are coming off a 1-1 series split with the Athletics, and the Rays are coming off a 3-2 series loss against the Blue Jays.
The Rangers are out of playoff contention, but the Rays are still in it, and they need wins badly. Tampa Bay has fallen seven games behind the Yankees in the AL East and holds just a 4.5-game lead over the Orioles in the AL Wild Card hunt.
Tampa Bay has a solid matchup this weekend against a team that is on the brink of being officially eliminated, but the Rangers are not a team I expect to roll over. Though they are just 4-6 in their last 10 games, the Rangers have a .706 team OPS in September, they have a .695 team OPS on the road, and a .685 team OPS against righties.
Martín Pérez will make the start for the Rangers. Pérez is having a wonderful season. In 28 starts, he is 11-6 with a 2.77 ERA, a 3.21 FIP and a 1.23 WHIP. Pérez pitched against the Rays at home on May 31 and he threw seven innings of shutout ball on just three hits.
Pérez has been great in all ballparks this season, and his splits on the road are very encouraging. On the road, Pérez has a 2.65 ERA, a .235 batting average against, a 3.27 FIP, a 1.17 WHIP, and he leaves 80.1% of runners on base. The Rangers covered the run line in two of his last three road starts.
Corey Kluber will make the start for the Rays. In 27 starts, Kluber is 10-8 with a 4.36 ERA, a 3.61 FIP and a 1.17 WHIP. Kluber faced the Rangers on June 2 and allowed one run on four hits in six innings of work. Kluber’s last start did not end well — he pitched just 0.2 innings and allowed six runs on eight hits.
The juice is a little high here, but the Rangers are the right side in this matchup. Kluber is coming off a dud of a start, the Rays just scored 11 runs Thursday so are due to regress, and the Rays have been poor covering the run line as favorites. The Rays are 37-56 covering the run line as a favorite this year while the Rangers are 61-30 covering the run line as an underdog.
I have the Rangers +1.5 priced at -200, so I am comfortable laying -175 on the Rangers run line in this matchup.
Bet: Texas Rangers RL +1.5 -175 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
