Rangers Get Right With Series Win vs Guardians
Guardians vs Rangers Odds Predict Tight Series
The slumping Texas Rangers hope that a return home helps their troubles when they begin a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night. Texas is coming off a below-.500 road trip, while Cleveland is also having struggles during its current road swing.
The Guardians dropped three of four to the AL-worst Chicago White Sox on the road over the weekend. Cleveland is still atop the AL Central standings but only by a half-game over the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals.
The Rangers have dropped to second place in the AL West thanks to a three-game losing skid. Texas is a half-game behind the first-place Seattle Mariners after dropping four of its last five.
The MLB odds for the series opener give a slight edge to the host team, with Texas listed at -110 on the moneyline. Cleveland is getting -106 odds for the straight-up win.
Betting on the run line will get you the Guardians at +155 when laying -1.5 runs, while the Rangers are -188 when getting those runs. The over/under for Monday’s contest has been set at nine runs, with the over getting -115 and the under -105.
All three games of this series are slated for 8:05 p.m. ET first pitches at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Guardians vs Rangers 
Records: Cleveland Guardians (25-16), Texas Rangers (22-20)
Day/Time:
Location: Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX
Streaming: BSSW, BSGL
Pitching Matchups
Game 1: Tanner Bibee (Cleveland) vs Michael Lorenzen (Texas)
The Guardians will turn to right-hander Tanner Bibee to start this series. The 25-year-old is 2-1 with a 4.91 ERA in eight starts, striking out 44 over 40.1 innings of work. He’s struggled a bit in his last two starts, allowing 10 earned runs over nine innings. Those came after a masterful start against the Atlanta Braves on April 27 in which he threw seven shutout innings and allowed just two hits while striking out nine and walking none.
Texas will have another struggling pitcher starting for it in the opener. Righty Michael Lorenzen is 2-2 with a 4.66 ERA in five starts, coming off his worst outing of the season. Facing the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday, Lorenzen went six innings and allowed six runs on nine hits, including a pair of home runs, while striking out six and walking two.
Game 2: Ben Lively (Cleveland) vs Undecided (Texas)
Taking the mound for Tuesday’s matchup for Cleveland will be right-hander Ben Lively, who is 1-2 with a 2.63 ERA in five starts in 2024. Lively has 26 strikeouts in 27.1 innings of work. He gave up more than two runs in a game in his last start, going 5.2 innings against the White Sox on Thursday and allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking three. He’s allowed just one run in each of his previous three starts.
The Rangers’ starting rotation is so injury-riddled, they’re unsure who to go with on Tuesday. Texas made MLB news late last week, with Dane Dunning going to the injured list, joining fellow starters Nathan Eovaldi, Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, Cody Bradford, and Tyler Mahle. Texas may look to go with a bullpen game on Tuesday night.
Game 3: Carlos Carrasco (Cleveland) vs Jon Gray (Texas)
Veteran Carlos Carrasco will get the start for the series finale for the Guardians, bringing a 2-3 record and 5.36 ERA to his ninth start of the season. The right-hander has recorded 31 strikeouts and 17 walks in 40.1 innings. He’s coming off a loss to the White Sox on Friday in which he allowed five runs (three earned) over seven innings, giving up six hits, including two home runs. Carrasco has allowed at least five runs in three of his last four starts.
Texas will have righty Jon Gray getting the start to close out the series. Gray is 1-1 with a 2.36 ERA, striking out 49 in 45.2 innings over nine appearances, including eight starts. Gray had a great outing in his last start, going six innings against the Colorado Rockies on Friday and allowing one run on eight hits while striking out seven and walking one.
Offenses Need To Come Through
If the Rangers and Guardians will fulfill their potential as MLB World Series contenders, they must get their offenses in gear. Texas has been the better batting team this season, ranking fifth in the majors with a .255 batting average and tying for third in runs with 205. Cleveland is tied for ninth in runs with 195 despite being 20th in baseball in batting average at .236.
The Guardians are currently without the top batting average in baseball, as outfielder Steven Kwan (.353) is on the injured list with an acute hamstring strain. Third baseman Jose Ramirez has been one of the most clutch players in the majors this season, tying for third in RBI with 33. Ramirez is batting just .235 overall, but he has six doubles, a triple, nine home runs, and 27 runs scored.
The Texas Rangers statistics show outfielder Adolis Garcia leading the team in a few offensive categories. Garcia is seventh in baseball with 31 RBI, while adding a team-best eight home runs. Second baseman Marcus Semien has been hot of late, with four multi-hit games in his last six. Semien is batting .285 with nine doubles, a triple, seven home runs, 29 RBI, and 32 runs scored.
Rangers Win Tight Series At Home
Neither of these teams is playing at its best right now, so the Guardians vs Rangers odds are right about this likely being a close series. Texas playing at home will be a slight advantage, but it has to cash in on that advantage by putting some runs on the board.
Cleveland just isn’t the same team without Kwan setting the table, and it will struggle to get a win in this series. When you’re doing your MLB betting on this series, take the home team to come away with more victories.
Guardians vs Rangers Odds
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