Game three of this American League series sees the Rangers (57-39, 32-18 home) and Rays (60-38, 25-23 away) facing off at Globe Life Field. The starting pitcher for the Rangers will be Jon Gray, while the Rays are turning to Zack Littell. Find out who I like to win in this Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays showdown.

TAMPA BAY RAYS VS TEXAS RANGERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -116

This game will be played at Globe Life Field at 2:05 ET on Wednesday, July 19th

WHY BET THE TAMPA BAY RAYS:

  • Coming into the game, the Rangers have gone just 4-6 in their last ten home games.
  • The Rays have put together a 3-2 record in their last five games as the favorite.
  • The Rays have gone 1-3 in Jon Gray’s last four starts.

TAMPA BAY RAYS LOOKING TO EXTEND AL EAST LEAD

Entering with a record of 60-38, the Rays are in 1st place in the AL East and are losers of three straight games. So far, they have a road win percentage of 52.1% compared to 70.0% at home. Tampa Bay’s overall series record stands at 17-9-4.

Zack Littell has taken the hill 14 times in 2021, with an 0-1 record. He’s been on a four-game streak of not giving up a home run and his slugging percentage allowed is .488. The righty has fanned 19 batters and his WHIP stands at 1.55.

Zack Littell’s most recent appearance was brief, as he tossed two frames and allowed two runs on four hits. Despite the short outing, Littell did not factor into the decision of Tampa Bay’s 10-4 victory over Atlanta.

The Rays have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 8 home runs over their last five games. Compared to other clubs, this is 5th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 3rd in home runs and 3rd in slugging percentage. Overall, Tampa Bay is averaging 5.4 runs per game (3rd).

Over the Rays’ past ten contests, Isaac Paredes has topped the squad in long balls with three, bringing his season total to 17. Paredes holds an overall batting average of .257.

WILL THE TEXAS RANGERS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Texas head into today’s game seeking their 6th straight win and are in 1st place in the AL West. On the road, Texas is 25-21 and 32-18 at home. With an overall record of 57-39, the Rangers have a series win percentage of 64% (18-10-2).

Today marks Jon Gray’s 18th outing of the season, with a record of 6-5. His ERA is currently 3.46 and he has held opponents to a .286 OBP. Gray has struck out 79 batters and his WHIP stands at 1.15. On the road, his ERA is 2.63 while it sits at 6.01 when he pitches at home.

Jon Gray’s latest outing lasted six frames, during which he yielded five hits and four runs. Despite the tallies on his ledger, Gray was not involved in the decision as Texas prevailed 12-4 over the Guardians.

For the season, the Rangers’ offense is averaging 5.8 runs per game. Over their last five games they have swung the bats well, sitting 8th in the league in scoring, with a total of 28 runs. Overall, Texas’ team batting average is .274, putting them 1st in the MLB.

The Rangers’ Adolis García has been a key contributor to their offensive success this season. His .262 batting average and 80 RBIs have been instrumental in the team’s success, as well as his 24 home runs.