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The Minnesota Twins will attempt to avoid a three-game sweep as they face the Texas Rangers in the finale at Globe Life Field on Sunday. It's time to continue our MLB odds coverage with a Twins-Rangers prediction and pick.
The Rangers defeated the Twins 9-7 on Saturday. Texas started fast in the second inning when Kole Calhoun slugged a three-run shot to right field for a home run. The dinger was his 11th in 2022, giving the Rangers a 3-0 lead. Later, the Twins struck back in the fourth inning. Jose Miranda blasted a three-run home run to left field. It was his seventh in 2022, tying the game at 3-3. The Twins were not done. Gary Sanchez went to the opposite field for a two-run home run. It was his ninth in 2022, giving the Twins a 5-3 lead. Alternatively, no lead is safe in Texas, especially when it's their turn to hit.
The Rangers trailed 6-3 in the bottom half of the fourth when Marcus Semien smashed a monster shot to left field. It was a three-run blast, his 11th in 2022, tying the game at 6-6. Next, Corey Seager plastered a shot to right field, for the back-to-back home run. It was his 18th in 2022, giving the Rangers the 7-6 edge. Later, Semien plucked an RBI triple to give the Rangers some insurance runs and secure the victory.
Today, the Twins will go with Dylan Bundy on the hill. Bundy is 4-4 with a 4.50 ERA. However, he is also 2-3 with a 5.89 ERA over nine starts on the road. Bundy went five innings in his last start, allowing one earned run on three hits with one walk. Alternatively, he has done well against the Rangers throughout his career. Bundy is 6-2 with a 3.12 ERA in 11 games and nine starts against the Rangers. Additionally, he is 3-1 with a 1.88 ERA in six games and four starts at Globe Life Field.
The Rangers will go with Dane Dunning on the hill today. Dunning is 1-6 with a 4.15 ERA. However, he is 1-1 with a 2.83 ERA at Globe Life Field. Dunning is 1-2 with a 3.24 ERA over three starts against the Twins in his career. He went four innings in his last start against Minnesota, allowing four runs (three earned) on 10 hits in a game last season.
The Twins enter the day 47-40, leading the AL Central. Meanwhile, the Rangers are 39-43 and third in the AL West.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Twins-Rangers odds:
MLB odds: Twins-Rangers Odds
Twins: +1.5 (-205) ML (+100)
Rangers: -1.5 (+168) ML (-118)
Over: 8.5 (-122)
Under: 8.5 (+100)
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Why The Twins Could Cover The Spread
The Twins are one of the better teams in the AL, but some wonder if it is due to the division they play. They would be a wildcard team in the other five divisions in baseball based on record alone. Their weakness since the season started has always been starting pitching. It is coming to fruition over the last few games, and their starting pitchers have not been able to contain the Rangers.
Moreover, the pitching is failing fundamentally throughout the game. The Twins have allowed 4.9 runs per game over the last 10 games. Additionally, they have allowed nine runners to cross the plate twice over three games. It has affected how they have played. The Twins held one of the better records in baseball over the first couple of months. However, they are 18-20 since May 31. They have meandered over the last month-and-a-half, playing mediocre baseball. But their division is not good at all, so it has not hurt them.
For the Twins to succeed in this game, and beyond, they need strong pitching from the starters and the bullpen. Additionally, they must keep the baseball in the ballpark. They surrendered a few home runs to the Rangers in this series, and it has hurt their chance to win either game. The Twins will cover the spread if they get an overall dominant pitching performance from top to bottom.
Why The Rangers Could Cover The Spread
The Rangers are hovering just below .500 but not putting everything together. Their issue has been inconsistency. Semien played well yesterday, but will he continue that today? He is batting .238 with 11 home runs, 39 RBIs, and 46 runs scored over the season. Additionally, Semien is batting .186 with four home runs, 12 RBIs, and 20 runs scored in 38 home games. He also is batting .245 with 10 home runs, 23 RBIs, and 23 runs scored through 50 games against the Twins.
The Rangers will cover the spread if they can get to Bundy early and knock him out of the game. If they allow Bundy to get into a groove, they will not be able to come back for the third game in a row.
Final Twins-Rangers Prediction & Pick
Can the Rangers complete the sweep at home? Dunning is solid at home, but Bundy has dominated the Rangers in the past. Expect the Twins to pull out the victory to avoid the sweep.
Final Twins-Rangers Prediction & Pick: Twins ML (+100)
