It’s the rubber match between a pair of American League heavies Wednesday afternoon, as the Tampa Bay Rays host the Texas Rangers.
After Texas romped 9-2 in the series opener, Tampa rebounded Tuesday night with a 5-2 win to even the series.
The Rays are -120 moneyline favorites in the MLB odds, with first pitch at Tropicana Field at 1:10pm ET.
With a series win on the line, check my free Rangers vs Rays MLB picks for April 3 below.
Rangers vs Rays odds
Rangers vs Rays predictions
Tampa snapped a mini two-game slide with the win last time out, evening their record at 3-3 on the season.
Zach Eflin was stellar on the mound, scattering five hits through 6.1 innings, surrendering just one earned run and fanning five.
The offense supported him by building a five-run lead; the highlight was an Isaac Parades 3-run homer in the fourth inning. The win snapped Texas’ six-game win streak in this head-to-head.
After opening the year with two straight wins, the Rangers have dropped two of three, and will try to avoid falling to .500.
While they matched the Rays with seven hits, Texas could not plate baserunners, stranding seven throughout the game Tuesday.
Their pitching could tighten up as well: Rangers starters are surrendering 5.26 runs per nine innings.
Conversely, Tampa’s bullpen is an early noted concern, as it surrenders a high 5.79 ERA.
The Rangers should enjoy a pitching advantage in this one, with Nathan Eovaldi on the bump. He went 12-5 last year with a 3.63 ERA.
Only Brandon Lowe is hitting over .200 in the lineup against the Rangers’ righty, and with the most at-bats of any Rays player (22), he’s hitting just .227.
Offensively, the Rangers are inside the Top 7 in on-base percentage, slugging and OPS, and that more polished offense will help them bounce back.
My best bet: Rangers moneyline (+100 at DraftKings)
Rangers vs Rays same-game parlay
Rangers moneyline
Isaac Parades to get a hit
Jared Walsh to get a hit
We’re going to stick with Tampa’s star on Tuesday to come through for us Wednesday.
Isaac Parades connected on his second home run of the season against the Rangers, and dating back to last season’s playoffs, he’s now had a hit in three straight games against Texas (he sat out Tuesday’s loss).
While he’s yet to record a hit against Eovaldi in seven career at-bats, I think he’ll find a way to break through at the Trop.
We’ll wrap this 3-legged SGP with Texas first baseman Jared Walsh, who’s been solid to start the year, hitting a team-best .389.
He’s been good in this series too, with two hits and a run scored in the 5-2 loss, and a hit and RBI in the 9-3 win.
Walsh is also hitting .400 against Tampa starter Aaron Civale — albeit in just five at-bats — with a HR and a pair of RBI.
He’s a good bet to finish this series strong.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Rangers vs Rays moneyline and Over/Under analysis
- The Rangers have won seven straight day games against AL East opponents.
- Tampa is 3-1 in its last four as the betting favorite.
- The Rays have gone Over the total in seven of their last 10 games.
- Texas has hit the Over in three of its last four.
Trend to know
The Under has hit in five of the last seven head-to-head matchups between these teams. Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Rays
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Rangers vs Rays game info
| Location: | Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL |
| Date: | Wednesday, April 3, 2024 |
| First pitch: | 1:10 p.m. ET |
| TV: | BSSW, BSSUN |
Starting pitchers
Nathan Eovaldi (0-0, 3.00 ERA): This will be his second start of the season, after picking up a no-decision in his first start of the year, a 4-3 Rangers win in 10 innings. The 34-year-old went six innings, giving up just four hits, two earned runs, a walk and striking out three. He is 7-6 with a 3.89 ERA in 17 appearances against Tampa in his career.
Aaron Civale (1-0, 1.50 ERA): Civale is looking for his second straight win to start the year, after beating the Blue Jays 8-2. He scattered four hits across six innings, surrendering just an earned run off a homer, while striking out six and walking just one. Texas’ Trevor Simien has the most at-bats against Civale, with just eight appearances.
