After finishing in the Top 4 of TallySight’s MLB Expert Rankings last week, with a 14.8% return on investment and a 62% winning percentage, we got off to a 2-1 start to this week with the Mariners and White Sox yesterday. Today our “random game generator is giving us the Texas Rangers (72-53) at the Arizona Diamondbacks (65-61). We’ve covered the Diamondbacks multiple times on this feature but I believe that this will be our first look at the Rangers.
The Pitchers
Zac Gallen (13-5, 3.17 ERA) has won two in a row now and is allowing an average of just 2.2 earned runs per game over his last five outings. He’s struck out a combined 33 batters during that stretch and has gone six innings, or more, in all five of those games.
Texas is sending Jon Gray (8-6, 3.52 ERA) to the mound to oppose Gallen. Gray won in back-to-back starts (August 5 & 11) before not factoring in the decision against the Angels on August 16th. He’s allowed an average of 2.4 runs per game over his last five starts and has made it at through at least seven innings in his last two appearances.
The Lineups
The Rangers are led from the plate by Adolis Garcia, who has knocked 31 home runs and recorded 93 RBI. Marcus Semien leads the team with a .278 batting average. The Rangers have scored 14 runs over the last five games.
Christian Walker is pacing the Diamondbacks with 28 home runs and 84 RBI, while Ketel Marte has a team-best .273 batting average. Arizona has scored just 21 runs over the last five games.
The Streaks
Texas enters tonight’s gaming having lost five in a row. Meanwhile, Arizona has won four consecutive, including last night’s 4-3 decision to open the series with the Rangers.
The Odds
Diamondbacks -1.5
Diamondbacks -120 on the moneyline
O/U 8.5
This isn’t an easy game to pick but I like the odds we’re getting, especially on the moneyline and the over/under. I really think it plays out in the same manner as last night’s contest, which means I’m taking the Rangers and the points, the Diamondbacks on the moneyline, and the under on the point total. I think the over/under could be your best bet here. Both teams are starting decent pitchers, and both have faced offensive woes recently. Last night’s game went eleven innings and only produced seven total runs!
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