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We're back with another prediction and pick for Friday's MLB slate as we turn our attention to this American League matchup between two of the stronger teams in baseball. The Toronto Blue Jays (38-32) will visit the Texas Rangers (42-26) for the first meeting of their three-game series. Check out our MLB odds series for our Blue Jays-Rangers prediction and pick.
The Toronto Blue Jays are currently fourth in the AL East and sit 11 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays. It'll be an uphill climb all season if they want to catch up to the Rays and Yankees, and they haven't done much for their case over the last 10 games going just 5-5. They come off a tough 1-2 series against the Orioles and will hope that they can steal a win from one of the MLB's best teams. Kevin Gausman (RHP) will be their starter.
The Texas Rangers are in first in the AL West and have a 3.5-game lead over the defending Champion Houston Astros. The Rangers have been a huge surprise this season, becoming the best hitting team in the league through this point. The loss of Jacob deGrom will prove to be costly for them in the postseason and they've gone just 4-6 in their last 10 games following his injury announcement. They'll look for needed wins at home against Toronto. Martin Perez (LHP) will be their starter.
Here are the Blue Jays-Rangers MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Blue Jays-Rangers Odds
Toronto Blue Jays: -142
Texas Rangers: +120
Over (9): -104
Under (9): -118
How To Watch Blue Jays vs. Rangers
TV: Bally Sports Southwest
Stream: MLB.TV, fuboTV
Time: 8:05 p.m. ET/ 5:05 p.m. PT
Article Continues Below
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Blue Jays Could Cover The Spread
The Blue Jays find themselves in a tough spot in the AL East and will have a long road to make the playoffs, despite being one of the best hitting teams in baseball. The Blue Jays rank second in batting average (.265) and hits (643). While they're scoring a ton of runs, they've had shaky performances from there bullpen that have cost them some crucial wins. Nevertheless, they'll continue to look towards Bo Bichette as their batting leader while Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Whit Merrifield look to keep their bats hots during this three-game series.
Toronto's starter with be Kevin Gausman behind his 5-3 record and 3.12 ERA thru 86.2 innings of work. He's been one of their more consistent starters and has done a great job of limiting the home run ball. He's also one of the hardest pitchers to hit this season, ranking second in the league in strikeouts with 117 to his name. If Gausman can continue to strike batters out at a high rate, he could force the Rangers into a slump while the Jays' bats ignite. If Toronto can get out to a lead, expect them to win this game behind the work of their closing bullpen.
Why The Rangers Could Cover The Spread
The Rangers ranks in the top-3 of most hitting categories for the MLB and have slowly become one of the favorites to win the World Series. They'll have a much tougher road without their ace Jacob deGrom, but the Rangers are hoping that they can continue their stellar season behind the bats that got them here. Adolis Garcia leads the Rangers with 15 HR and 55 RBI. Leody Taveras has been a hitting machine and the Rangers will be eager to get a win back at home.
The Rangers have been phenomenal at home with a 22-12 record. They're also (surprisingly) listed as the underdogs in this one, a spot they've gone 19-8 in. Martin Perez will be their likely starter behind his 6-2 record and 4.67 ERA thru 71.1 innings pitched. He hasn't been the cleanest, giving up 87 hits, 24 walks, and 11 home runs, but his overall record tells a different story. Perez puts the Rangers in a great spot to steal Game 1 with his left-handed pitching and will hope to silence the Blue Jays' bats. If Perez can limit the base-hits for the Blue Jays, the Rangers should put up more runs of their own in a win.
Final Blue Jays-Rangers Prediction & Pick
The Blue Jays are in a great spot to win this game and get a leg-up on this series, but their last six games show a lack of run production uncharacteristic to them. While they may be the favorites in this one, the Rangers will sport the better pitching and play much better when they're at home. They'll be eager to get a win back after dropping their home series with the Angels 1-3. For the prediction, let's go with the Texas Rangers to upset at home behind Martin Perez.
Final Blue Jays-Rangers Prediction & Pick: Texas Rangers (+120)
