The Tampa Bay Rays (44-43) travel to face off against the Texas Rangers (39-48) on Friday, July 5th. This game will be played at Globe Life Field in Arlington and televised on BSSUN. The Rays are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Rangers are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Padres. First pitch is set for 7:05 CT.
Rays vs. Rangers Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Rays (+100)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 8.5 Runs
- The Rays have won 7 of their last 10 games.
- The Rays have scored an average of 5.2 runs per game over their last 15 games.
- The Rays have a 7-3 record in their last 10 road games.
- The Rays have outscored their opponents by 15 runs in their last 15 games.
- The Rays have a 2-1 record in their last 3 games against the Rangers.
Rays vs Rangers
The Rays Are Coming Off A Win
The Rays’s offense was hot right out of the gates in their most recent game vs. the Royals, closing out their series with a 10-8 win. After allowing two runs to the Royals in the 1st inning, the Rays responded with two runs of their own. Tampa Bay added another two runs in the 2nd inning and went on to score another four runs in the 5th.
Zach Eflin had a rough start for the Rays, giving up seven earned runs on seven hits and issuing three walks. However, Tampa Bay’s offense picked him up, and the Rays were able to come back and pick up a json -8 win. Jonny DeLuca went 3/5 with a homer and two RBIs, and Brandon Lowe also had a big game, going 3/5 with a homer and three RBIs.
Currently on a five-series winning streak, the Rays have an overall series record of 15-11-2 and are 7-3 in their last 10 games. They are 44-43 overall, 11 games behind the Orioles in the AL East. On the road, they are 21-18, compared to 23-25 at home.
Against the run line, the Rays are 40-47 overall and 24-15 on the road. Their average run differential in wins is +2.5, while in losses it’s -3.8. This season, their games have averaged 8.7 runs, and their O/U record for games with an 8.5 total is 13-13.
Shane Baz Gets The Start For The Rays
Shane Baz takes the mound for the Rays in today’s game versus the Rangers. It’s his opportunity to start the season on the right foot, as this will be his first outing of the year.
Rays Offense Breakdown
Over the past five games, Brandon Lowe has been swinging a hot bat for the Rays, going 5/16 with three homers. For the season, he is batting just .217, but his 13 homers are 3rd on the team. Isaac Paredes and Jose Siri are both tied for 2nd on the team with 11 homers, but Paredes has a better batting average at .276 compared to Siri’s .209. Paredes also has a team-high 47 RBIs.
As a team, the Rays are averaging 4.1 runs per game and are batting a collective .237. Their home run total of 80 is 20th in the league, and their isolated power of .135 is also 20th. Tampa Bay’s most recent batting average is 16th in the league.
The Rangers Took The Last Game Of This Series
The Rangers will be looking to get back on track after closing out their series vs. the Padres with a 3-1 loss. This was especially tough, as they held a lead going into the 7th inning before the Padres scored three runs in the top of the 7th. Texas was the -114 favorite at home going into the game.
Max Scherzer pitched well for the Rangers, going 6 1/3 innings and giving up just three earned runs, and striking out three. However, he was still tagged with the loss. The Rangers’s offense scored their only run in the 2nd inning and wasted several good performances. Corey Seager and Josh Smith each had two hits. Seager scored the team’s only run, and Smith went 2/4 with a run scored.
After dropping the final two games of their series against the Padres, the Rangers are looking to bounce back as they host the Rays today. Texas has an overall record of 39-48, putting them eight games behind the Mariners in the AL West.
When the Rangers win, they do so by an average of 4.2 runs per game, while their losses come by an average of 3.5 runs. Their run line record is 40-47, including a 20-22 mark at home. As underdogs, they have a 16-26 record straight up, and they have covered the run line in four straight games as underdogs.
Michael Lorenzen Gets The Start For The Rangers
Michael Lorenzen will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing as he gets the start for the Rangers today. Against the Orioles on June 29th, he took the loss, giving up five earned runs in five innings of work. Looking back over his last three outings, Lorenzen has finished with a no-decision in each one. He has made 14 starts this year and has a record of 4-4 with a 3.40 ERA. Opponents have a batting average of .212 this season off Lorenzen, and his WHIP is currently 1.18. So far, he has turned in eight quality starts and is averaging 6.37 strikeouts per nine innings.
Rangers Offense Breakdown
The Rangers offense has been pretty average this season, as they are 17th in the league in runs per game (4.2). Overall, they are batting .239, which is 15th in the league, and their on-base percentage of .308 is also below the league average. Texas does have some power in their lineup, as Adolis Garcia and Corey Seager are both among the league leaders in home runs.
Corey Seager comes into the game on a nine-game hitting streak and is batting .263 for the season. He is 2nd on the team with 15 homers and is 3rd in RBIs. Adolis Garcia has also been a big power threat for the Rangers, but he is batting just .219 for the season. Over his last seven games, Nathaniel Lowe has gone 10/27 with three homers and nine RBIs.
Rays vs Rangers Prediction
Our predicted score for this one is a 6-4 win for the Rays, and with them on the money line at +100, that is the direction we recommend going. If you’re looking for a parlay, you could also look to take the over, as we have the final score going over the 8.5 run line.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Michael Lorenzen is predicted to finish with just four strikeouts, which is the second-worst among starters today. And with the Rays lineup projected to strikeout 11 times, we don’t see Lorenzen as a good option today.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:July 5, 2024 Rangers, Rays