The Texas Rangers posted a dismal 68-94 record last season and avoided last place in the American League West Division only because the Oakland Athletics (60-102) were even worse.
The Rangers made improving the pitching staff a giant priority in the offseason, adding RHP Jacob deGrom on a 5-year, $185 million deal with a conditional 6th-year option, and RHP Nathan Eovaldi was added on a 2-year, $34 million contract. LHP Andrew Heaney was also added, rounding out a new-look rotation which could be one of the better units in the AL, if healthy.
The Rangers aren’t expected to knock off the division rival Houston Astros anytime soon, but they also won’t flirt with 100 losses again. Let’s analyze the Texas Rangers’ World Series odds, along with their projected win total, playoff, division and AL odds as we make our expert MLB picks and predictions.
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Texas Rangers World Series odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Sunday, March 26, at 9:14 p.m. ET.
Odds: +3500 (bet $100 to win $3,500)
The Rangers are in the middle of the pack, tied with the San Francisco Giants for the 15th-shortest odds. The Houston Astros (+600) are the favorites, followed by the Atlanta Braves (+700), Los Angeles Dodgers (+750) and New York Yankees (+750).
At +3500, Texas has an implied probability of winning the World Series of 2.78% or 35/1 fractional odds.
The Cincinnati Reds, Oakland A’s, Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals have the longest odds, each at +20000.
The Rangers really made some nice moves to shore up the pitching rotation, and they should be vastly improved in that department.
However, the offense is still going to struggle to score runs. 2B Marcus Semien is a decent table setter and SS Corey Seager is also strong in the 2-hole. 1B Nathaniel Lowe and OF Adolis Garcia will provide some nice pop in the middle of the lineup, but things fall off after that.
C Jonah Heim surprised with 16 homers last season, but he posted just a .227 batting average. The team is likely looking at OF Robbie Grossman, DH Mitch Garver, 3B Josh Jung and either OFs Leody Taveras or Bubba Thompson to round out the lineup.
That’s not exactly a murderer’s row. All of the aforementioned players will need to vastly improve or the high-priced pitching staff will be on the short end of some hard-luck losses.
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Texas Rangers playoff odds
Will they make the playoffs: Yes +180 | No -230
The Rangers are actually worth a roll of the dice for a chance to nearly double up. The regular-season win total (see below) is set for 82.5, so the books are expecting serious improvement over last season.
The offense is a bit of a concern, but the pitching staff is outstanding. If deGrom, Eovaldi and Heaney can stay healthy, this is a pitching staff that can hang with any team in the American League.
Texas Rangers win total
Over/Under: 82.5 (O: -116 | U: -106)
Again, I am excited about the pitching staff additions, but the offense concerns me. If there was an Over/Under for runs scored, I’d likely lean to the Under.
The Rangers have to contend with the likes of the defending World Series champ Astros and the high-octane Seattle Mariners, but they’ll also be battling the Los Angeles Angels for wins, and they’ll still get to kick around the Oakland A’s, who remain a complete mess.
This Texas team has the potential to fire out of the chute with a favorable schedule in April, especially the home portion. The month of May will be a bit challenging with only 8 games at home and 19 on the road.
If Texas can get to June above .500, look out. It wouldn’t be surprising to see this team cobble together 90 wins with the kind of rotation GM Chris Young has amassed.
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To win AL West Division
- Houston Astros -205 (bet $205 to win $100)
- Seattle Mariners +310 (bet $100 to win $310)
- Los Angeles Angels +800 (bet $100 to win $800)
- Texas Rangers +900 (bet $100 to win $900)
- Oakland Athletics +20000 (bet $100 to win $20000)
Texas’ implied probability of winning the AL West is 10.00%, or 9/1 fractional odds.
The Rangers should be improved quite a bit, moving closer to the contenders in the division rather than the cellar-dwelling A’s.
However, the Astros remain the class of the AL West and the Mariners are likely next in line in case Houston unexpectedly falters.
While the Rangers have the pitching advantage, the Angels have past AL MVP winners in DH/SP Shohei Ohtani and OF Mike Trout, making Los Angeles a major contender, too.
Expect the Rangers and Angels to battle for 3rd place in the division, and perhaps a postseason opportunity as a Wild Card. But the Rangers winning the division? That’s still a ways off. AVOID betting Texas to win AL West.
To win American League
Odds: +1700 (bet $100 to win $1,700)
The Rangers have a fair chance of making the postseason field in the AL, but with the lineup in Arlington in its current state, this isn’t a title-caliber team.
The pitching staff is rounding into championship form, and this could be a team no one wants to face. If Texas is a buyer rather than a seller at the trade deadline in late July, things could get interesting. But the Rangers aren’t going to be better than the Astros, Yankees or even Blue Jays or Mariners.
PASS.
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