For the middle contest of a three-game series, the Baltimore Orioles will look for a repeat of Monday night’s winning result against the Texas Rangers.
The O’s won, 7-2, in Arlington, thanks in large part to the fact they pinned up four runs in the initial two frames.
MLB Performance Recap
Baltimore (52-51) is still very much alive in the American League’s playoff race, which likely makes it a hard pill to swallow that Trey Mancini was traded to Houston ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
The Orioles are only 2.5 games out of a wild card spot, and Seattle and Tampa Bay have hit bumps in the road ahead of them.
The Rangers (46-56) entered this slate after a four-game series win on the road against the Los Angeles Angels.
They’re also fighting for a spot in the postseason, although their chances aren’t looking as good as the Orioles’. Texas is eight games behind the division-rival Seattle Mariners in the wild card race.
Texas Lineup Breakdown
They haven’t turned many heads at the dish. Their .239 team batting average grades out in the bottom third of the bigs, and their RBI totals are fairly average.
First baseman Nathaniel Lowe paces the lineup by hitting .280. He also owns a .326 on-base percentage, while shortstop Corey Seager has clubbed 24 homers.
Right fielder Adolis Garcia has a team-high 63 RBIs, while Seager (55), second baseman Marcus Semien (49), and Lowe (45) follow behind in that category.
Rangers vs. Orioles Odds
MLB odds point to the hosts finishing on top in this clash. Texas is -1.5 on the run line at +158, while the Orioles are -192 to cover the spread.
On the moneyline, the Rangers are -132 and Baltimore a +112 underdog. The total has been set at 8.5 runs, with the over being -120 and the under -102 at the time of this writing. It would help if Baltimore’s bats were a little more useful.
Orioles’ Batting Average
They currently rank in the bottom third of MLB in terms of team batting average (.234) and will likely miss Mancini’s presence in the order. He led the team by hitting .268 with a .347 on-base percentage.
Now, it’s up to guys such as:
- left fielder Austin Hays
- center fielder Cedric Mullins
- first baseman Ryan Mountcastle
To pick up the slack. Right fielder Anthony Santander has been a key contributor, too, as he paces the lineup with 19 homers and 57 RBIs.
Five other Baltimore Orioles have belted double-digit dingers, including second baseman Rougned Odor and third baseman Ramon Urias.
Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles Betting Preview
Spencer Howard Stats and Analysis
Spencer Howard will make his seventh start on the mound for Texas. To this point, he’s posted a 2-2 record and an unremarkable 5.93 ERA. He also has a 1.58 WHIP.
After falling short in two of his outings in a row, the Rangers emerged victorious in his last appearance. In visiting the Angels, he threw five innings, allowing only three hits and no runs. He fanned five challengers, as well.
Jordan Lyles Stats and Analysis
Jordan Lyles will go for the guests. He has a 7-8 record and a 4.56 ERA. Neither is by any means better than Howard’s, which makes this an interesting pitching matchup.
He, too, is coming off a solid performance. Against Tampa Bay recently, he lasted 5.2 innings, conceding three knocks and no runs also. Baltimore has won the last two times he’s taken the bump.
Rangers vs. Orioles Picks and Predictions
While neither of these hurlers have had boatloads of success this season, they’re both trying to replicate solid showings. With these Orioles vs. Rangers odds, this is definitely one of today’s more intriguing MLB matchups.
Who to Bet On?
Although Baltimore is closer to a playoff spot than the hosts, the heart of their team has been sent off. Yet, this didn’t seem to affect them in the opener. Take the Orioles to win outright — or at the very least to cover the spread — in this matchup.
MLB Pick: Orioles +1.5 (-192)
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