Red Sox’s Xander Bogaerts, Trevor Story combine for silky smooth double play

Double plays don’t get any better than this!

It takes great coordination to pull off a double play in baseball. What Xander Bogaerts and Trevor Story did for the Boston Red Sox on Monday night, however, transcends coordination to something else entirely.

Facing the Tampa Bay Rays down 5-4 in the fourth inning, the Red Sox needed a spark to get them back in the batter’s box. With Randy Arozarena up to bat, Brayan Bello got the outfielder to ground into a bouncer to second. Bogaerts snagged the ball and quickly tossed it to Story — who caught it barehanded! — for the force at second.

Story then turned and threw towards first to get Arozarena out in a double play that is as smooth as they come.

I may have watched this five or ten times just to see that brilliant barehand catch from Story and the quick turn to throw to first. Just magical stuff from Bogaerts and Story to get the double play here.

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Trevor Story had what might be the cleanest bat flip of 2021

So smooth.

Not every bat flip has to be an epic throw up in the air or toss with a strut.

Sometimes, like in the case of Trevor Story and his flip after hitting a dinger on Monday night in an eventual loss to the Texas Rangers, it can be so smooth.

He belted his 17th of the year — he’d add No. 18 later in the night — and in one motion, he let the bat rip as if it was too hot to handle. It kind of feels like the bat flip equivalent of the Trea Turner slide from earlier this year: Just too clean.

Here it is, along with some reaction:

Colorado Rockies at Texas Rangers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Colorado Rockies at Texas Rangers sports betting odds and lines, with MLB betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Colorado Rockies visit the Texas Rangers Friday at Globe Life Field for an 8:05 p.m. ET game. We analyze the Rockies-Rangers sports betting odds and lines, with MLB betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Rockies at Rangers: Projected starting pitchers

RHP German Marquez vs. RHP Lance Lynn

Marquez in 2019: 12-5, 4.76 ERA in 28 starts.

  • 2019 vs. Rangers: NONE
  • Career vs. Rangers: NONE

Lynn in 2019: 16-11, 3.67 ERA in 33 starts.

  • 2019 vs. Rockies: NONE
  • Career vs. Rockies: 2-2, 2.76 ERA in 7 starts.

Bet $1. Win $100 in free bets if either the Rockies or Rangers hit a home run Friday, July 24th. Place your legal sports bets at BetMGM now in CO, IN, NJ and WV. Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet Now!

Rockies at Rangers: Key injuries

(List of injuries around the league)

Rockies

  • OF Charlie Blackmon (came in contact with COVID-19) probable
  • OF David Dahl (upper body) probable
  • OF Ian Desmond (personal reasons) out

Rangers

  • OF Willie Calhoun (hip flexor) questionable
  • RP Brett Martin (COVID-19 symptoms) out
  • RP Rafael Montero (conditioning) out

Rockies at Rangers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at Thursday 5:10 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Rockies 11, Rangers 7

Moneyline (ML)

The Rockies (-129) and Rangers (+115) kick off their 2020 regular season with this unique COVID-altered regional-schedule game. Every team is playing 60 games with 40 of them being against their own division and the other 20 games playing against the other league’s same regional division opponents. However, there isn’t much in the way of the previous history between the two ball clubs to draw on for this handicap. The last time these teams met was in June 2018.

Marquez was 7-3 with a 3.67 ERA in 15 road starts and 10-1 versus opponents below .500 last season. Against mashers like 3B Nolan Arenado (41 home runs and 118 RBI in 2019), SS Trevor Story (35 home runs and 85 RBI in 2019) and Blackmon (32 home runs and 86 RBI in 2019), it could be a long Opening Day for the Rangers. What we know about the Marquez and the Rockies lineup makes them a lot more bankable than the Rangers. TAKE the ROCKIES (+115) to beat the Rangers.

Run line/Against the spread (ATS)

Just because I’m taking the underdog on the moneyline, doesn’t mean I’ll swallow the vig to get the 1.5 runs of insurance. Realistically, the Rockies (+1.5, -167) could get pounded. Last season, Rockies starters had the highest ERA in the majors and their bullpen had the third-highest ERA. Also, their run line record was the fourth-lowest in baseball in 2019. PASS ON THE RUN LINE.

Over/Under (O/U)

I am a little nervous putting action either way on the total in Rockies-Rangers total of 9 runs (-110 on both sides). On one hand, both teams were above the league average in runs scored and runs allowed per game. On the other hand, BetMGM knows this, will price the total with said information and that explains both teams’ Over/Under trends from last season. In 2019, their combined Over/Under record was 154-160-10.  Also, Texas is moving into a new stadium this season, which may or may not be as hitter-friendly as the ballpark they played in from 1994-2019. PASS ON THE TOTAL.

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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