The Texas Rangers (24-24) host the Tampa Bay Rays (28-21) Wednesday at Globe Life Field for the 3rd game of their 4-game series with the first pitch scheduled for 8:05 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze Tipico Sportsbook‘s lines around the Rays vs. Rangers odds with MLB picks and predictions.
Texas has won the first 2 games of this series by a combined score of 12-5. The Rangers beat the Rays 4-3 in last year’s season series but Tampa Bay had a plus-2 run differential in those meetings.
Rays at Rangers projected starters
LHP Jeffrey Springs vs. RHP Jon Gray
Springs is 2-2 with a 1.62 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 1.9 BB/9 and 8.9 K/9 in 33 1/3 IP over 5 starts and 8 relief appearances.
- Last start: Loss, 2-0, Friday vs. the New York Yankees with 6 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 HR, 0 BB and 6 K.
Gray is 1-2 with a 5.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 3.4 BB/9 and 8.5 K/9 in 34 IP across 7 starts.
- Last start: No-decision in 8-5 win at the Oakland Athletics Friday with 6 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, 2 HR, 3 BB and 5 K.
Rays at Rangers odds and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:23 p.m. ET.
- Money line (ML): Rays -120 (bet $120 to win $100) | Rangers +100 (bet $100 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Rays -1.5 (+145) | Rangers +1.5 (-180)
- Over/Under (O/U): 7.5 (O: +100 | U: -125)
Exclusive USA TODAY Network offer: Deposit $10 or more, get $200 in instant bet credits at Tipico Sportsbook! New customer offer in CO and NJ. 21+, see Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. Place your legal, online sports bets at Tipico. Let’s make this interesting. Bet now!
Rays at Rangers picks and predictions
Prediction
Rays 8, Rangers 2
Money line
BET a half-unit on the RAYS (-120) only because they’ve struggled at the plate over the past two weeks and the Rangers hit better vs. left-handed pitching than Tampa’s lineup vs. righties.
But, the Rays have an edge in the starting and relief pitching matchups. Tampa’s bullpen is better than Texas’s by ERA, WHIP, FIP, WAR, exit velocity and swing-and-miss rates, according to FanGraphs.
Springs grades in the 98th percentile in chase rate, 83rd percentile in whiff rate, and the 85th percentile or better in expected batting average (xBA), wOBA (xwOBA) and slugging percentage (xSLG) slash line, per Statcast.
Gray is in the 38th percentile or worse in xBA-xwOBA-xSLG slash line, 45th percentile in chase rate and 50th percentile in whiff rate.
Tampa’s ML is taking steam and has been bet up from a -115 opener but there’s still value on the RAYS (-120).
Win your fantasy baseball league with BaseballHQ.com. For decades, BHQ has been helping players just like you win! Use the couple code SBW22 for 20% OFF full-season subscription. New customer offer; expires 6/30/2022. Subscribe today and start winning!
Run line/Against the spread
PASS.
Texas’s lineup has been a lot more productive recently and hits lefties well and the Rangers +1.5 (-180) are 10-5 RL as home underdogs. I’m also not confident enough in Tampa’s ML to sprinkle on the Rays -1.5 (+145).
Over/Under
LEAN to the OVER 7.5 (+100) only because most of the market is betting the Over but the total has ticked down from an 8-run opener, according to Pregame.com. This type of line movement is suspicious.
However, Tampa is 8-3-2 O/U as a road favorite, Texas is 9-5-1 O/U as a home underdog and 5-2 O/U in Gray’s 7 starts and the Over is 3-1-1 O/U in the last 5 Rays-Rangers meetings.
Also, Globe Life Field is a hitter-friendly park (8th in park factor) and the weather forecast is predicting temperatures in the low-90s and hotter weather typically leads to more Overs.
Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and soon IA. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW, or try out our USA TODAY Parlay Calculator. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Additional MLB coverage:
BaseballHQ Fantasy Baseball
BaseballPress.com: Your source for every MLB lineup
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1372]