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The weekend is finally here! On Saturday afternoon, the second game of this three-game series will take place between the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays. It is about that time to check out our MLB odds series, which will include our Rangers-Blue Jays prediction and pick.
Oh, how the tables have turned. After leading 7-0 in the top of the fourth inning, the Rangers squandered a golden opportunity to right their wrongs from a season ago by conducting an epic collapse that will be a tough pill to swallow for the foreseeable future. Attempting to avenge Texas' monumental choke job from Friday will be RHP Dane Dunning, who struggled at times last season with a 5-10 record and a 4.51 ERA.
Toronto will be eager to ride that momentum in game two by downing Texas once again and quickly compiling a 2-0 record to start the campaign. RHP Kevin Gausman will make his 2022 pitching debut after putting up one of his best seasons yet in 2021, as the Colorado native had a career-best 2.81 earned-run average.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Rangers-Blue Jays MLB odds:
MLB Odds: Rangers-Blue Jays Odds
Texas Rangers: +1.5 (-110)
Toronto Blue Jays: -1.5 (-110)
Over: 9.5 (-105)
Under: 9.5 (-115)
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Why the Rangers Could Cover the Spread
The Rangers lived a real-life nightmare Friday night, as it will be intriguing to see what Texas is made of in game two of this opening series. If baseball games were played in only four innings, then the Rangers might in fact looked like the most prolific team in the sport 24 hours ago. However, as we all know, that is not the case, as the next five innings of gameplay were simply disastrous. It appeared that Texas decided to call it a night halfway through this one, and were even making dinner plans in the surrounding Toronto area for that evening.
All jokes aside, the Rangers bullpen completely imploded, allowing seven of the ten Blue Jays' runs that were scored. Despite a collapse that soon won't be forgotten, the sun has risen on a brand new day.
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Taking the mound will be Dunning, who no doubt suffered a poor Spring Training season after giving up eight earned runs in only six innings pitched. Dunning last squared off with the Blue Jays last year in a home matchup, striking out six batters after lasting well into the fifth inning. However, this was in front of the home crown down in Texas, so pitching up north will indeed be a different kind of challenge.
If the Rangers are going to avenge their letdown of a loss and have a chance in covering the spread from Friday, Texas needs a stellar outing from Dunning, especially when you factor in that the ‘pen was overworked and utterly putrid in their four innings pitched.
Why the Blue Jays Could Cover the Spread
There's nothing like making some history on night one of the 2022 MLB season! That's exactly what the Toronto Blue Jays were able to accomplish on Friday, storming back from a large deficit to stun the Rangers and the rest of the baseball world. The sheer explosiveness and quick-strike ability that the Jays' offense showcased on Friday was simply frightening to the rest of the league in their seven-run comeback win. The craziest part is that the Blue Jays were only scratching the surface of what they are capable of in all aspects in 2022.
Right-fielder Teoscar Hernandez was an instrumental part in orchestrating Toronto's historic comeback, as the Blue Jays' slugger went 1-2 with a pair of walks and three RBIs after hitting a moonshot bomb in the fourth inning to tie the game. If things couldn't get any better for Toronto, RHP Kevin Gausman will be making his first start in the blue and white after being absolutely masterful a year ago in San Francisco and was a major contributor to the Giants' successful season in 2021. Gausman has Cy Young material when he is clicking on all cylinders, so a much-hyped contending group like Toronto should be ecstatic with the righty hurler now calling the “Hogtown” his home.
By jumping out on Rangers pitching early and avoiding digging themselves out of a hole early in this contest, the Blue Jays will have a much better chance at covering their spread total if they can get off to a much better start. Gausman will most likely pitch well, so it will be up to the offense to pick up the slack early and often.
Not to mention, left-handed batters are hitting .280 against Dunning, so expect one-time highly touted prospect Cavan Biggio to live up to expectations in this Saturday night matchup after the 26-year-old lefty second baseman only hit .224 last season.
Final Rangers-Blue Jays Prediction & Pick
Dating back to last season, the Rangers are 15-42 in their previous 57 games as road underdogs. This stat alone should be more than enough ammunition to side with the Blue Jays and the spread, especially after Texas' meltdown in their opening game of the very young season.
Final Rangers-Blue Jays Pick: Blue Jays -1.5 (-110)
