The Athletics (32-81, 17-40 home) will host the Rangers (67-46, 27-26 away) in game two of this AL West series. Starting for the Athletics is JP Sears, while the Rangers are giving the ball to Max Scherzer. Read on to see my pick for this showdown between Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers.

TEXAS RANGERS VS OAKLAND ATHLETICS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Oakland Athletics +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Oakland Coliseum at 9:40 ET on Tuesday, August 8th.

WHY BET THE OAKLAND ATHLETICS:

  • In their previous three games, the Athletics are 2-1 vs. the runline.
  • The last three times the Athletics have been the underdog, they are 2-1 against the runline.
  • Max Scherzer has given up five home runs across his last three starts.

TEXAS RANGERS LOOK TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS ON THE ROAD

Texas’ overall record currently stands at 67-46, placing them 1st in the AL West. The Rangers will look to extend their current series winning streak to 36 and have an overall series record of 20-13-2. At home, Texas is 40-20 and 27-26 on the road.

Max Scherzer is having another stellar season, with a 10-4 record entering his 21st appearance. He has held opponents to a .239 batting average and has an overall ERA of 4.04. On the road, he has gone 6-4 with an ERA of 5.57, while at home he is undefeated with a 3.28 ERA. Opposing teams have managed to slug just .430 against him in 2021.

Max Scherzer earned the victory in his most recent start against the White Sox, allowing three earned runs and seven hits over six innings. His performance helped the Rangers to a 5-3 win.

For the season, the Rangers’ offense is averaging 5.8 runs per game. Over their last ten games they have swung the bats well, sitting 9th in the league in scoring, with a total of 48 runs. Overall, Texas’ team batting average is .272, putting them 1st in the MLB.

Adolis García has been one of the Rangers’ most productive hitters in 2023. His .266 batting average and 89 RBIs are both impressive marks, and his 29 home runs have been a major factor in the team’s success.

WILL THE OAKLAND ATHLETICS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Through 113 games, the Athletics are in 5th place in the AL West on an overall record of 32-81. So far, they have a below .500 record at home, going just 17-40. For the season, Oakland has played in 35 series and gone 9-25-1.

The Athletics are relying on JP Sears to lead them this season. The starter has an overall record of 2-8 in 22 appearances, with an ERA of 4.07 and a K/9 of 8.21. His FIP is 5.15 and his OBP is .282, making him a formidable presence on the mound.

JP Sears suffered a defeat in his most recent start against the Dodgers, surrendering two runs on six hits over five innings of work. The Athletics were bested by Los Angeles 8-2.

The Athletics have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 6 home runs over their last five games. Compared to other clubs, this is 8th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 19th in home runs and 27th in slugging percentage. Overall, Oakland is averaging 3.6 runs per game (28th).

Over the Athletics’ last five games, Zack Gelof has been on fire at the plate, leading the team in hits and batting .375. This season, Gelof is hitting .260 and has 10 RBIs to his name.