Marlins vs Rangers Betting Odds: Seager’s Return Boosts First-Place Texas

The Texas Rangers will host the Miami Marlins for a three-game series, starting Friday at Globe Life Field. In another exciting matchup, the Marlins vs Rangers clash promises to bring forth a thrilling contest. For the series opener, Texas is -1.5 (+140) on the run line and a -150 favorite to win outright, with Miami priced +125. The projected total is 8.5, with the Over juiced to -105.

Let’s break down the Marlins vs Rangers betting odds in our series preview.

Seager Returns for AL West Leaders

The Texas Rangers continue to cling to first place in the American League West. They are 1.5 games ahead of the Houston Astros with a record of 63-46, third-best in the AL. They’ve outscored opponents by 159 runs, matching the Atlanta Braves for the most in baseball.

Texas has won three straight baseball games and is 5-5 over its last 10. It’s coming off a 5-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox, in which newly acquired Max Scherzer pitched six solid innings to earn the win. He allowed three runs (all in the first inning) while striking out nine, leaving his ERA at 4.04 for the season.

A day earlier, the Rangers activated All-Star shortstop Corey Seager (sprained thumb) from the injured list. The Rangers went 3-6 without Seager, who returned to homer in his first at-bat. Seager is batting .347 with 16 home runs and 61 RBI. His 1.039 OPS would rank second in MLB among qualified hitters, behind Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (1.098).

Notably, Texas is +105 to outlast Houston in the division and +400 to win the AL, the second-best odds behind co-favorites Houston and Tampa Bay (+325).

Marlins Remain in the Hunt

The Miami Marlins reshaped their lineup before Tuesday’s trade deadline, acquiring first baseman Josh Bell and third baseman Jake Burger in separate deals. The Marlins rank third in MLB in batting average (.265) but are tied for 26th in home runs (100). Additionally, the Marlins reconfigured the back end of their bullpen, landing David Robertson, Jorge Lopez and Ryan Weathers.

At 58-52, the Marlins find themselves in the thick of the National League playoff race. They’re 13.0 games behind the first-place Braves in the NL East but are just a half-game back of the wild card. Oddsmakers are still a bit skeptical, pricing them +140 to make the postseason and -170 to miss it.

Miami hasn’t been to the playoffs since the COVID-interrupted 2020 MLB season. Can it get back? Perhaps, but the Marlins will need to play with more consistency. They opened the season’s second half with eight consecutive losses and are just 5-5 over their last 10 games, causing them to fall in the MLB standings.

Second baseman Luis Arraez continues to lead MLB with a .377 average, putting himself on track to become the first MLB player in history to win back-to-back batting titles in separate leagues.

Odds Outlook

The Rangers have been one of baseball’s most profitable MLB teams among bettors, with a 64-45 record against the run line. Their 58.7% cover rate ranks third behind the Cincinnati Reds (64%) and Baltimore Orioles (60.6%). They are an MLB-best 36-21 ATS at home, including 27-18 when favored. Conversely, the Marlins are just 50-60 ATS, including 26-26 on the road. Their 45.5% cover rate is the fourth-worst in MLB. Keep that in mind when assessing the Marlins vs Rangers betting odds.

Montgomery, acquired Sunday along with reliever Chris Stratton from the St. Louis Cardinals, will make his Rangers debut. He is 6-9 with a 3.42 ERA. The left-hander allowed one run over six innings in a 5-2, 10-inning victory over the Marlins on July 18. He faces another southpaw in Luzardo, who is 8-5 with a 3.38 ERA. Luzardo ranks 13th in MLB with 147 strikeouts.

Gray is 6-5 with a 3.66 ERA. He matched a season-high with six runs allowed in his last start, a 10-9 loss to Houston on July 24. Miami has yet to name a starter opposite him, which could affect the Marlins vs Rangers betting odds.

Heaney is 8-6 with a 4.36 ERA. The left-hander struck out a season-high in his last outing, a 2-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. He faces the reigning NL Cy Young winner in Alcantara, who is 4-9 with a 4.21 ERA. After opening this MLB season as a +500 favorite to win another Cy Young, Alcantara’s odds have plummeted off the board.

For Miami Marlins standings, MLB odds, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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