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The Boston Red Sox (75-76) and the Texas Rangers (82-68) play the middle contest of a 3-game series at Globe Life Field Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Red Sox at Rangers odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Red Sox lead 3-1
The Red Sox are mathematically still alive for the postseason, although Boston is 7 1/2 games out of the last AL Wild Card spot with 11 games to play. So yeah, it is likely not going to the playoffs. However, the Red Sox are doing their best to spoil the party for the Rangers, winning 3 of 4 games against Texas this season, including a devastating 4-2 win Monday.
The Rangers have dropped 4 games in a row, all against teams who are all but likely going to miss the postseason. It is Texas’ 2nd 4-game losing streak just since Sept. 4, and it can ill afford any further slip-ups if it wants to stay ahead of the Seattle Mariners and/or the Toronto Blue Jays for one of the final AL Wild Cards. The Rangers are still just 1 1/2 games back of the first-place Houston Astros in the AL West, although they would need to leapfrog the Mariners there as well.
Red Sox at Rangers projected starters
RHP Tanner Houck vs. RHP Nathan Eovaldi
Houck (5-9, 4.94 ERA) makes his 19th start. He has a 1.33 WHIP, 3.3 BB/9 and 8.4 K/9 in 93 innings.
- Last start: Win, 6 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 7 K in 5-0 home win vs. New York Yankees Thursday
- 2023 road splits: 2-5, 4.75 ERA (41 2/3 IP, 22 ER), 5 HR, .245 opponent batting average (OBA) in 8 starts
Eovaldi (11-4, 2.96 ERA) makes his 23rd start. He has a 1.09 WHIP, 2.8 BB/9 and 8.1 K/9 in 130 2/3 innings.
- Last start: No-decision, 3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 3 K in 9-2 road win vs. Blue Jays Thursday
- 2023 home splits: 5-3, 3.07 ERA (55 2/3 IP, 19 ER), 7 HR, .212 OBA in 10 starts with 1 complete game
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Red Sox at Rangers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:58 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Red Sox +145 (bet $100 to win $125) | Rangers -175 (bet $175 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Red Sox +1.5 (-140) | Rangers -1.5 (+115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -120 | U: +100)
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Red Sox at Rangers picks and predictions
Prediction
Rangers 5, Red Sox 3
Moneyline
The RANGERS (-175) will get a much-needed win in the middle game, snapping a 4-game skid in the process. While Eovaldi hasn’t been going terribly deep into games in the past 3 starts since returning from a 6-week injury absence, he was able to throw 73 pitches last time out and he might have an extra level facing one of his former teams, too.
Run line/Against the spread
The RANGERS -1.5 (+115) are a risky play on the run line, considering they’ve dropped 4 in a row while going just 7-10 in 17 games in September. However, in its 5 wins from Sept. 10-14, Texas won by 3 or more runs. So if you like Texas to win, you should like it to do so by at least 2 runs.
Over/Under
The UNDER 8.5 (+100) cashed in Monday’s series opener, although it’s a little more risky to do so Tuesday, mostly due to Houck’s ineffectiveness.
Still, the Texas offense has struggled lately, totaling just 8 runs in the past 4 games, so it could make Houck look like an All-Star. Boston has cashed the Under in 4 straight while going low in 7 of the past 8 games overall.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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