Playing on the road has suited the Texas Rangers just fine this postseason — and, though the MLB odds have the Baltimore Orioles pegged as favorites, the Rangers have a chance to take a firm grip on this ALDS series in Game 2 this afternoon.
The Rangers improved to 3-0 away from Globe Life Field in these playoffs with yesterday’s 3-2 victory in Baltimore, surviving some nail-biting innings from their bullpen and spoiling the Orioles’ first postseason outing at Camden Yards since 2014.
Josh Jung’s home run proved to be the difference in Game 1, as the free-scoring Baltimore lineup was held to five hits and stranded baserunners in each of the last three innings.
For a closer look at today’s big matchup, check out our free MLB picks for Rangers vs. Orioles on October 8.
Rangers vs Orioles odds
Rangers vs Orioles Game 2 odds
Rangers vs Orioles series odds
Rangers
OriolesRangers vs Orioles predictions
There’s likely to be a big contract waiting for free-agent-to-be Jordan Montgomery this offseason after some stellar outings this year and a red-hot finish to the season with the Texas Rangers. He’s been a revelation for Texas since a deadline deal with the Cardinals.
Montgomery made a splash in his first playoff start with the Rangers. Trusted to take the ball for Game 1 of the Wild Card round against Tampa Bay, the big lefty responded with seven shutout innings, five strikeouts, and no walks.
I expect Montgomery to be dealing again this afternoon and I’m picking his strikeouts prop for this Game 2 showdown. He’s had five or more Ks in each of his last four contests — and he finished the regular season with an ERA of 0.67 in his final four starts.
He didn’t face the Baltimore Orioles this year but pitched against them four times in 2022 without giving up more than three runs in any of those matchups — and he racked up five strikeouts in the most recent of those battles against the Baltimore hitters.
With Texas’ shaky bullpen carrying a heavy load in Game 1, the visitors would surely love to be able to ride their starter for 6+ innings here. If Montgomery gets that kind of workload, I like the Over on his Ks this afternoon.
My best bet: Jordan Montgomery Over 4.5 strikeouts (-105)
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Rangers vs Orioles same-game parlay
Jordan Montgomery Over 4.5 strikeouts
Under 7.5
Anthony Santander Over 0.5 hits
The Under has been the way to go with these two teams lately (more on that later) and I see another tight battle today, with a tense atmosphere guaranteed at Camden Yards. The series opener provided just five runs; today could be a similar story.
I’m also picking a hit for Santander, who’s one of the few Orioles with a solid career mark against Montgomery. He’s gone 5-for-15 against the Texas starter with a HR and two doubles.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Rangers vs Orioles moneyline and Over/Under analysis
The Rangers and manager Bruce Bochy deserve a ton of credit for shrugging off the disappointment of losing the AL West title on the last day of the season. Instead, that’s fueled Texas’ postseason run.
While they’re underdogs again today, the experience factor is very much in their favor, with veterans like Marcus Semien and Corey Seager balancing out fearless young guns Evan Carter (21) and Jung (23).
In contrast, Game 1 was the first taste of postseason baseball for several Orioles, and all the pressure is on Baltimore heading into this afternoon’s battle.
Though the regular season series between these teams ended as a 3-3 split, keep in mind that the Rangers have won four of the last five meetings, including three of the past four in Baltimore.
Down the stretch and into the postseason, both teams have trended towards the Under, including a 7-3 mark in the Rangers’ past 10 contests.
I see the pressure cooker of October baseball making Game 2 another low-scoring scrap, despite these teams edging toward the Over during the season.
The Over was 81-72 in Baltimore’s regular season slate and 82-70 mark for the Rangers’ schedule.
Trend to know
While the Orioles finished the season with an 18-10 mark in September, the runs didn’t flow as freely in the final few weeks — the Under is 9-1 in Baltimore’s last 10 games. Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Orioles
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Rangers vs Orioles game info
| Location: | Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD |
| Date: | Sunday, October 8, 2023 |
| First pitch: | 4:07 p.m. ET |
| TV: | FS1 |
Starting pitchers
Jordan Montgomery (1-0, 0.00 ERA): Montgomery has been lights out with Texas after a bumpy start to 2023 with the Cardinals. The fastball will always be king in his arsenal, but his change-up and curveball keep hitters off-balance — and he’s got a good career record against Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins in this Baltimore lineup.
Grayson Rodriguez (0-0, 0.00 ERA): Rodriguez hasn’t pitched since September 27 and there could be some early rhythm issues after that extended rest, but he finished the regular season in good form and hasn’t given up more than two runs since August 22. Rodriguez allowed just a single run on six hits against the Nationals in his last start.
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