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The Texas Rangers (3-1) and Tampa Bay Rays (2-3) meet Tuesday for the 2nd game of a 3-game series. First pitch from Tropicana Field is set for 6:50 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Rangers vs. Rays odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Texas leads 1-0
The Rangers jumped out a 6-0 lead and beat the Rays 9-3 in Monday’s series opener, covering as +113 road underdogs. Third baseman Josh Jung went 3-for-4 with a HR and 4 RBIs while scoring twice.
Rays RHP Ryan Pepiot took the loss Monday, pitching 5 2/3 innings and allowing 4 H and 6 ER with only 3 K. Tampa Bay has lost back-to-back games.
Rangers at Rays projected starters
LHP Andrew Heaney vs. RHP Zach Eflin
Heaney (10-6, 4.15 ERA) made 28 starts and 6 relief appearances in 2023. He had a 1.38 WHIP, 3.7 BB/9 and 9.2 K/9 in 147 1/3 IP.
- 2023 road splits: 3-3, 4.29 ERA (63 IP, 30 ER), 61 H, 61 K in 12 starts and 3 relief appearances
- 2023 vs. Tampa Bay: 0-1, 5.40 ERA (5 IP, 3 ER), 4 H, 2 BB, 5 K in 1 start
- Career vs. Rays: 0-4, 3.94 ERA (32 IP, 14 ER), 29 H, 32 K across 6 starts
Eflin (0-1, 9.53 ERA) makes his 2nd start. He has a 1.24 WHIP, 1.6 BB/9 and 7.9 K/9 in 5 2/3 IP.
- Opened his 2024 season with an 8-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays with 6 ER on 6 H with 5 K in 5 2/3 IP
- 2023 home splits: 11-4, 3.30 ERA (103 2/3 IP, 38 ER), 94 H, 120 K in 18 starts
- Career vs. Texas: 0-1, 15.75 ERA (4 IP, 7 ER), 11 H, 1 K in 1 start
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Rangers at Rays odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 11:37 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Rangers +125 (bet $100 to win $125) | Rays -155 (bet $155 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Rangers +1.5 (-160) | Rays -1.5 (+135)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Rangers at Rays picks and predictions
Prediction
Rangers 6, Rays 4
Moneyline
LEAN RANGERS (+125).
Texas has won 6 consecutive matchups vs. the Rays, including 3 straight in Tampa Bay, and 4 of those 6 wins came with the Rangers as the underdog, and 1 of those wins came with Eflin being the starting pitcher for Tampa Bay.
This is a very risky bet as Eflin is a very good pitcher and he was dominant at home last season.
Run line/Against the spread
PASS.
I like the Rangers to cover here as +1.5 (-160) underdogs, but their odds are safer on the moneyline, especially given their current streak vs. the Rays. Bet on the moneyline and/or total instead.
Over/Under
BET OVER 8.5 (-105).
The Over has hit in 3 consecutive games for Texas and has hit in back-to-back games for Tampa Bay. The Over is also 7-3 in Texas’ last 10 dating back to last year and 8-2 in Tampa’s last 10 dating back to last year. The Over has also hit in back-to-back matchups between these squads.
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