The Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers play the middle contest of a three-game series at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Saturday afternoon.
The Blue Jays started off the series on a solid note, posting a 2-1 win on Friday night, as Danny Jansen, a.k.a. The Great Janbino, came through with a two-run homer to provide all the offense the team needed.
The Rangers have dropped two in a row, five of the past six, and seven of the previous nine games, but Texas still finds itself 42-27 and 3.5 games clear of the second-place Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels.
Can the Blue Jays hold down the powerful Rangers again, or will Texas two-step its way to a much-needed victory? We’ll discuss in our MLB picks and predictions for Blue Jays vs. Rangers on June 17.
Blue Jays vs Rangers odds
Blue Jays vs Rangers predictions
The demotion of Alek Manoah to the minors has left a void in the Blue Jays rotation, and the team is expected to roll with an opener and long relief option in a bullpen game.
Manoah is working on his mechanics and ironing things out at Class A Dunedin, so he is a ways from returning, and Hyun-Jin Ryu is not expected back until after the All-Star break.
The Rangers know who they’re rolling with, and it’s RHP Dane Dunning, who has managed a 5-1 record with a 2.76 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 58 2/3 innings across seven starts and eight relief appearances.
Since moving to the rotation in early May, Dunning posted a 3.27 ERA, with a lot of that damage coming in the past two starts in June. He has allowed just three homers all season, but all of them came in a shaky win against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 6. He then struggled with five walks issued last time out against the Los Angeles Angels in a no-decision.
Still, I like the Texas offense to bounce back. This team leads the majors with 419 runs scored, and is second in the league in run differential with a gaudy plus-142 mark. It won’t be held down again, although the Toronto bullpen is solid with a 3.78 ERA overall. The Rangers will post a lot more than just a single run, however.
Look for the Rangers to bounce back in the middle game, and we should see a little more scoring. But with a wind blowing in from right field across the diamond, that should mitigate things somewhat.
My best bet: Rangers moneyline (-120 at PointsBet)
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Blue Jays vs Rangers moneyline and Over/Under analysis
The Blue Jays picked up a win Friday, and Toronto is now a perfect 4-for-4 in the past four tries against AL West foes. The Jays are also a solid 6-2 in the previous eight games on the road.
While that’s all well and good, the pitching is a little unsettled for Toronto for Saturday. That’s good news for a Texas team which is 8-1 in the past nine in Game 2s, while cashing in 10 of the past 14 following a loss. And, for what it’s worth, Texas is also 8-0 in the past eight Saturday games.
The Blue Jays have seen the total go low at a 12-5-1 clip in the past 18 games overall, while cashing in six of the past eight on the road. While the Over has been the rule for Texas most of the season, the Under cashed in the series opener.
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Trend to know
The Under has connected in four of the previous five meetings between these teams in Arlington, including Friday’s 2-1 win by Toronto. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Rangers
Blue Jays vs Rangers game info
| Location: | Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX |
| Date: | Saturday, June 17, 2023 |
| First pitch: | 4:05 p.m. ET |
| TV: | SNET, BSSW |
Starting pitchers
TBD: The bullpen will be leaned upon heavily in this game, and that might not be a bad thing. The Jays rank eighth in the majors with a 3.78 ERA, and they have a solid 1.21 WHIP. The Toronto pen has allowed 35 homers, however, and that’s a big concern, ranking in the bottom third of the league.
Dane Dunning (5-1, 2.76 ERA): The right-hander doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but he does get batters to drive the ball into the ground with solid sinking action. He’s allowed just three homers in 58 2/3 innings, and all of them occurred in a single game.
