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The Minnesota Twins will face the Texas Rangers to open a three-game series. We are in Arlington, sharing our MLB odds series, making a Twins-Rangers prediction and pick while showing you how to watch.
The Twins are coming off a series where they lost two of three to the Cleveland Guardians. Ultimately, it ended a homestand where they went 4-3. The Twins are 69-65 and currently leading the AL Central.
The Rangers won two of three in their last series against the New York Mets. Ultimately, it ended a road trip where they went 3-4. The Rangers have sunk to 75-58 and are currently one game behind the Seattle Mariners for first place in the AL West. However, they also sit in third place in the division and are clinging to the final wildcard spot in the AL.
The Twins took three of four from the Rangers last weekend in Minneapolis. Now, they hope to take the season series after going 2-5 against Texas last season. The Twins are 8-2 over the last 10 games in Arlington. Furthermore, they are 17-8 over a 25-game stretch in Arlington.
The Twins will trot out Joe Ryan on the mound. Significantly, he comes in with a record of 9-8 with a 4.33 ERA. Ryan went five innings in his last start, allowing one earned run on five hits while striking out seven in a no-decision against the Rangers last weekend. Unfortunately, he has struggled recently, as he has not gone past five innings in three straight starts.
Max Scherzer starts for the Rangers today. Ultimately, he is 12-5 with a 3.71 ERA. Scherzer went seven innings in his last outing, allowing two earned runs on four hits while striking out 10. Amazingly, he has hit seven innings in three of his last four starts, and four of six.
Here are the Twins-Rangers MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Twins-Rangers Odds
Minnesota Twins: +1.5 (-164)
Texas Rangers: -1.5 (+136)
Over: 8 (-115)
Under: 8 (-105)
How To Watch Twins vs. Rangers
TV: Bally Sports North and Bally Sports Southwest
Stream: MLB.TV and MLV Extra Innings
Time: 8:06 PM ET/5:06 PM PT
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Twins Could Cover The Spread
The Twins have managed to persevere despite injuries to their team. Thus, they now lead the division and are pushing for another playoff run. They also have hitters who have struggled. Yet, these hitters can still hit the baseball.
Carlos Correa is batting .222 with 16 home runs, 57 RBIs, and 51 runs. Meanwhile, Max Kepler is hitting .252 with 21 home runs, 50 RBIs, and 53 runs. Royce Lewis is batting .307 with nine home runs, 29 RBIs, and 21 runs. Somehow, these players must get hot to give the Twins a chance. The Twins are 22nd in batting average, 17th in on-base percentage, 14th in runs, sixth in home runs, and 11th in slugging percentage. Thus, there has been some inconsistency.
The Twins have a pitching staff that has wavered between the top and middle this season. Now, they currently sit 14th in team ERA. The Rangers will present a challenge in this one.
The Twins will cover the spread if they can get some key hits early. Then, they must pitch well against a dangerous lineup.
Why The Rangers Could Cover The Spread
The Rangers exploded out of the gate and were owning the AL West for a majority of the season. However, they have cooled down recently and have seen a major fall in the standings. But they still have four core players that can mash the baseball.
Marcus Semien is batting .275 with 20 home runs, 81 RBIs, and 99 runs. Meanwhile, Corey Sager is hitting .346 with 25 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 68 runs. Nathaniel Lowe is batting .282 with 15 home runs, 70 RBIs, and 79 runs. Likewise, Adolis Garcia is hitting .248 with 32 home runs, 97 RBIs, and 94 runs. They lead a lineup that is second in batting average, third in on-base percentage, third in runs, seventh in home runs, and third in slugging percentage.
But the pitching has taken a step back. Currently, they are 14th overall. The bullpen has been a weakness since the season began and has continued to struggle. Moreover, it might become a problem down the line, especially in the postseason.
The Rangers will cover the spread if the bats can get going. Then, they need to hold the lead.
Final Twins-Rangers Prediction & Pick
The Rangers are struggling. Yet, it is hard to bet against Scherzer. Assuming the bullpen does not collapse, the Rangers should be able to handle a struggling Ryan and hand the Twins a two-run loss. Subsequently, they get a chance for revenge against a team that beat them last weekend.
Final Twins-Rangers Prediction & Pick: Texas Rangers: -1.5 (+136)