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A pair of American Leagues separated by more than 1,387 miles by car will be pitted against one another for the second time in as many days as the Baltimore Orioles meet up with the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. It is about that time to take a look at our MLB odds series, where our Orioles-Rangers prediction and pick will be selected.
After dropping a pair of games at the hands of the Reds, the Orioles bounced back nicely by putting on a beat down of the Rangers on Monday night by a score of 7-2. Don't look now, but Baltimore certainly has a chance at a playoff berth in 2022. Looking to put the O's two games above the .500 mark will be right-handed veteran Jordan Lyles, who has been up and down this season with a 7-8 record and a lofty 4.56 ERA.
With only a couple more months remaining in the Rangers season, it is do-or-die time in the Lone Star State. At 46-56, winning baseball games have become dire if they want to sneak back into the playoff conversation. Tasked with leading the troops to victory on the mound is RHP Spencer Howard, who has mustered up a 2-2 record with a 5.93 ERA in his six season starts.
Here are the Orioles-Rangers MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Orioles-Rangers Odds
Baltimore Orioles: +1.5 (-194)
Texas Rangers: -1.5 (+162)
Over: 8.5 (-122)
Under: 8.5 (+100)
Why The Orioles Could Cover The Spread
Can you believe this team? After losing a whopping 110 games during the 2021 season, the Orioles now find themselves only 2.5 games removed in a competitive AL Wild Card race. Obviously, the AL East remains as one of the league's most competitive divisions and hasn't done Baltimore any favors, but they are battle tested and have proven they can withstand any obstacle that stands in their way.
With more than 50 games remaining on the regular season slate, the Orioles cannot afford to look ahead. Instead, they must take one game at a time and make sure they can handle only the things that they can control. This will especially be the case after the team shipped off long-time Oriole Trey Mancini to the Houston Astros. While this might be a blow to this lineup initially, in no way does this mean that they are short of weapons at their disposal.
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Above all else, Baltimore should still receive steady play from right-fielder Anthony Santander. One of the biggest bats remaining in this lineup, Santander could be in for a big day against the Rangers this evening with his team-leading 19 home runs and 57 RBIs.
Additionally, Baltimore has been a fairly balanced team as a whole. This balance will be crucial in covering the spread and ultimately winning this matchup. On the season, Baltimore has scored the 19th-most runs in the league with 432 and has pitched to the beat of a 3.91 ERA from the bump.
Why The Rangers Could Cover The Spread
Can the Rangers provide their fans with something to be excited about before the Dallas Cowboys begin their season in the next month? As of now, that remains doubtful. Like other teams around the league that have also struggled through their first 100 games of the season, Texas has been plagued by injuries and inconsistent play. As it stands, Texas trails by eight games in the Wild Card Race. While crazier things have occurred, the Rangers will need to put the pedal to the metal if they want a taste of the playoffs.
In order to cover the spread in this matchup, the Rangers need to find creative ways to get the offense going. Whether this means they'll play some small ball with men on base, or maybe even put runners into motion on the base path by being aggressive, an uptick in production at the plate seems inevitable. Not to mention, but this is already a bunch that has struggled to be comfortable when up to bat, as Texas has the fourth-lowest on-base percentage in the majors and is only slashing .239 as a team collectively. Regardless, it should be refreshing to smack the baseball at their home ballpark, as the Rangers have played in just one contest at Globe Life Park since the All-Star Break.
In Monday's defeat, it was the pitching that showcased their scuffling ways. After the final out was recorded, Texas arms surrendered seven runs on twelve hits. This is no doubt a disturbing trend that cannot continue to be replicated. Alas, the 26-year-old Spencer Howard must need to be sharp, and pitching at least five innings will give the rest of the hurlers on this roster some much-needed juice.
Final Orioles-Rangers Prediction & Pick
Baltimore starter Jordan Lyles is 1-6 with a 6.89 ERA in eleven career appearances versus the Rangers while Spencer Howard is 2-1 in his last four starts. The Orioles may be a vastly improved bunch on the diamond this season, but the ghosts of last year's team will rear their ugly head in this Tuesday night showdown.
Final Orioles-Rangers Prediction & Pick: Rangers -1.5 (+162)
