The 2022 MLB season continues Sunday, June 19, with 15 games on the schedule, including the closer of a four-game American League series at Comerica Park in Detroit, so here’s the best Rangers vs. Tigers betting pick.  

According to Bovada Sportsbook, the Texas Rangers open as -145 moneyline favorites with a total of 8.0 runs. They’ve won the first two contests against the Detroit Tigers, 3-1 and 7-0, while Saturday’s battle has been excluded from this preview. 

The Rangers don’t give up on the playoffs                                  

The Texas Rangers improved their record to 31-33 for the season following Friday night’s 7-0 dismantling of the Detroit Tigers. It was their fifth victory in seven games, and the Rangers were four games behind the bottom wild card in the American League on Saturday. 

Dane Dunning will toe the slab Sunday at Comerica Park and shoot for his first win since April. The former first-round pick holds a 1-4 record, 4.04 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 68/24 K/BB ratio in 13 starts (71.1 innings) in 2022. 

Dunning tossed six scoreless innings in a no-decision against the Houston Astros this past Tuesday, but the Rangers eventually lost 4-3. The 27-year-old righty has allowed nine runs (eight earned) on 21 hits and 7 walks over his previous four appearances and 21.1 frames of work. 

The Tigers continue to struggle at the dish 

The Detroit Tigers fell to 24-40 on the season and extended their losing streak to six games following Friday’s defeat to the Rangers. It was another abysmal performance from the Tigers’ offense, and Detroit has scored a paltry seven runs over its previous six outings. 

The Tigers own the lowest-scoring offense in baseball, averaging 2.64 runs per game. They are slashing a horrible .219/.274/.313 (.242/.311/.392 league average). On the pitching side of things, Detroit sports a 3.99 ERA (20th in the MLB) and 1.25 WHIP (13th). 

Drew Hutchison will get the nod Sunday, and the 31-year-old righty is 0-4 with a 4.58 ERA and 1.58 WHIP in one start and ten relief appearances (19.2 innings) in 2022. Hutchison started in a 5-1 defeat to the Chicago White Sox last Tuesday, allowing a couple of earned runs on five hits and two free passes through four innings.   

Trends:

Texas: 

  • 5-2 in the last seven games overall  
  • 4-1 in the last five games on the road 

Detroit:

  • 3-10 in the last 13 games overall   
  • 1-7 in the last eight games at home  

Texas Rangers vs. Detroit Tigers Pick 

Dane Dunning has had ups and downs thus far, but I’m expecting a strong performance against the hapless Tigers lineup. On the other side, Drew Hutchison should not last for too long, while the Tigers’ bullpen has slowed down in the last ten days, recording a pedestrian 5.31 ERA and .405 BABIP. 

Hereof, I’m backing Texas to win. The Rangers haven’t impressed at the plate in the last seven days, slashing .236/.301/.349, but that’s still way better than the Tigers’ .203/.221/.244. 

Pick: Take Texas Rangers at -145                            

The Total:

The Tigers’ bullpen should improve after some shaky displays in the first half of June. On the other side, the Rangers’ relievers have amassed a 3.73 ERA, 3.14 FIP, and .236 BABIP over their last 41 innings of work. 

I have to go with the under on the totals. The Tigers’ bats will eventually break out of their slump, but until that happens, I’m fading Detroit’s offense. The under is 5-2 in the Tigers’ previous seven games overall and 4-1 in the Rangers’ last five. 

Pick: Go under 8.0 runs at -115