With the series all square at 1-1, the Rangers (77-64, 44-30 home) are giving the start to Jon Gray while the Athletics will send Luis Medina to the mound. Check out who I see coming out on top in this Texas Rangers vs. Oakland Athletics showdown at Globe Life Field.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS VS TEXAS RANGERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Oakland Athletics +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Globe Life Field at 2:35 ET on Sunday, September 10th.

WHY BET THE OAKLAND ATHLETICS:

  • In their last five games as the underdog, the Athletics have put together a runline record of 4-1.
  • On the road, the Athletics have covered the runline in four straight games.
  • Luis Medina has done a good job at avoiding the long-ball of late, having not given up a home-run in each of his past three starts.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS ON A RUNLINE WIN STREAK

For the season, the Athletics have put together a record of 44-98 and are 5th in the AL West, putting them 36.5 games out of first place. Oakland’s overall series record sits at 11-31-2. On the road, they have gone 20-51 and 24-47 at home.

Luis Medina has a 3-8 record and 5.46 ERA as he takes the mound tonight. He has been less successful on the road, with a 1-5 record and 7.49 ERA in nine appearances away from home, compared to his 2-3 mark and 5.16 ERA at home. His season-long WHIP is 1.52, while opponents have hit .247 against him with a slugging percentage of .426.

Luis Medina’s most recent start against the Blue Jays ended in a no-decision for the right-hander. In 4 2/3 innings, he gave up three runs on three hits, but the A’s ultimately fell 6-5.

The Athletics have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 9 home runs over their last five games. Compared to other clubs, this is 4th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 17th in home runs and 29th in slugging percentage. Overall, Oakland is averaging 3.7 runs per game (29th).

Zack Gelof has been a consistent force for the Oakland Athletics this season, boasting a .278 batting average and .541 slugging percentage. Over the past ten games, he has been especially impressive, leading the team in hits with a .350 average.

WILL THE TEXAS RANGERS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

The Rangers enter today’s game with an overall record of 77-64, including putting together an above .500 mark at home (44-30). This year, Texas has played in 44 series and have gone 24-18-2. Currently, they are 3rd in the AL West.

Jon Gray has an 8-7 record and a 3.85 ERA heading into the game. On the road, he’s 5-3 with an ERA of 3.97 in 12 appearances, while at home his record is 3-4 with an ERA of 5.32. His WHIP for the season is 1.25 and teams facing him have a .241 batting average against him and a .368 slugging percentage.

Jon Gray’s most recent start against the Twins resulted in a no-decision, as he gave up three runs on seven hits over five innings. Despite his performance, the Rangers emerged victorious with a 6-5 final score.

Having gone deep 7 times in their last five games, the Rangers are 6th in that span. At 5.4 runs per game, Texas is 3rd in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .266 while hitting a total of 197 home runs (6th).

The Rangers’ offense has been bolstered by Marcus Semien this season. His .276 batting average and 85 RBIs have been instrumental, as has his 22 home runs.