Tampa Bay Rays vs Rangers Preview: Division Leaders Meet in Texas

The Tampa Bay Rays vs Rangers preview notes Texas is entering the three-game series playing better than the Rays. Tampa Bay is just 3-7 in its last 10 games, while the Rangers are 5-5 and on a three-game winning streak. The baseball standings show Tampa Bay’s lead in the AL East is down to one game over Baltimore. The Rangers have a three-game lead over the Astros in the AL West.

Monday’s opening game will be a good one. Tampa Bay is sending Shane McClanahan to the mound to face Dane Dunning. The Major League Baseball odds have the Rays -115/+105. The total on the game is 9 and the Rays are +140 laying 1.5 runs on the run line.

These two teams have the top two run differentials in MLB. The Rangers lead with a +159, while the Rays are second at +152. The Atlanta Braves are the only team close at +148. No other team has a run differential above +100.

Texas is leading the league with a .275 batting average and is No. 1 in runs scored. The Rays aren’t far behind, sitting at No. 7 in team batting average and second in runs scored. The Rays have hit more home runs than Texas, but don’t hit for as high of an average.

Tampa Bay is No. 2 in team ERA, trailing only the Atlanta Braves. But you expect the Rays to have a solid pitching staff on a consistent basis. The Rangers are No. 11 in team ERA, which you don’t really expect from Texas. But with the offense the team has, the pitchers don’t have to be great for the team to have a chance to win. That’s what’s happening so far this season. The pitchers have been better than average and the Rangers are in first place.

Monday’s Game

The Tampa Bay Rays vs Rangers preview notes McClanahan has only faced the Rangers once before. That occurred last month when he allowed three runs in seven innings in a 7-3 Tampa Bay victory. Dunning threw five scoreless innings against Tampa Bay in 2021 in his only start against the Rays.

Texas is 16-10 against left-handed starters this season. The Rangers are scoring 6.5 runs per game against southpaws compared to 5.61 runs against right-handers. Texas is 7-5 with Dunning on the mound and 4-1 at home. Texas is also 4-1 in totals when Dunning starts at home.

Tampa Bay is 14-3 with McClanahan on the mound and 7-2 when he starts road games. Tampa Bay has gone 6-3 in totals with McClanahan on the road. The over looks to offer the best value in this one.

Tuesday’s Game

The Tampa Bay Rays vs Rangers preview shows Taj Bradley expected to start for Tampa Bay. Nathan Eovaldi will start for the Rangers and should be a small favorite in the game. Bradley is 5-5 with a 5.43 ERA. Eovaldi is 10-3 with an ERA of 2.83.

Bradley is still learning how to pitch in the big leagues. He has good stuff, as evidenced by 80 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings, but has allowed 66 hits and 11 home runs. The Rays are 6-7 when Bradley starts and have lost his last three outings.

Eovaldi has been solid all season. However, the Rangers have let several games get away after he’s been removed. Texas is 0-5 in the games Eovaldi doesn’t have a decision in, so the Rangers are 10-8 when he starts. He was the starting pitcher against Bradley on June 10 in Tampa, when Texas won 8-4. If the line is no higher than Texas -135, the Rangers deserve a look in this one.

Wednesday’s Game

The Rays haven’t named a started for the series finale. Depending on what happens the first two games, it could very well be a bullpen game for Tampa Bay. That’s something more teams are doing due to the length of MLB season. The Rays juggled their rotation a bit against Kansas City the previous series.

The Rangers will counter with Jon Gray, who sports a 6-5 record with a 3.45 ERA. He’s fallen victim to a bit of bad luck, losing a pair of 1-0 games and one 2-0 decision. He’s pitched better than his record indicates. The Rangers are 9-8 when he starts, going 7-1 when scoring four or more runs.

Texas should be the favorite in this one and it will be hard to go against the Rangers in this spot.

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