The Blue Jays (80-65, 38-32 home) host the Rangers (80-64, 35-34 away) in game three of this American League series. Getting the start for the Blue Jays is Yusei Kikuchi while the Rangers are turning to Jordan Montgomery. Read on to get my best bet for this Toronto Blue Jays vs. Texas Rangers matchup.

TEXAS RANGERS VS TORONTO BLUE JAYS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Texas Rangers +102

This game will be played at Rogers Centre at 7:07 ET on Wednesday, September 13th.

WHY BET THE TEXAS RANGERS:

  • The Blue Jays come into this matchup on a two game home losing streak.
  • Texas has the leg up over the Blue Jays so far this year at 4-1.
  • The Rangers have gone 1-2 in Yusei Kikuchi’s last five starts.

TEXAS RANGERS TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN AL WEST

Coming in with an overall record of 80-64, the Rangers are winners of five straight games. Through 46 series, they are 26-18-2 and in 2nd place in the AL West. At home, they have gone 45-30 compared to 35-34 on the road.

Jordan Montgomery is set to take the mound for the Rangers with an 8-11 record over 28 appearances. His ERA is 3.62, and his K/9 rate is 8.02. Additionally, his FIP stands at 3.72 and opponents have a .298 OBP against him this season.

Jordan Montgomery’s last outing resulted in a 6-3 loss to the Athletics, as he allowed eight hits and five earned runs over 5 2/3 innings.

The Rangers have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 18 home runs over their last ten games. Compared to other clubs, this is 4th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 5th in home runs and 3rd in slugging percentage. Overall, Texas is averaging 5.5 runs per game (3rd).

Over the Rangers’ last ten games, Marcus Semien has been a powerful presence in the lineup, leading the team with four home runs. His season-long total of 24 long balls is impressive, and his overall batting average of .278 is nothing to scoff at.

WILL THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Throughout the season, the Blue Jays have taken advantage of playing at home, posting a series record of 13-8 at Rogers Centre. Their overall record of 80-65 puts Toronto 3rd in the AL East. Against the runline, their overall record is 66-79 and 30-40 at home. This year’s Blue Jays’ games have an over/under record of 62-78.

Yusei Kikuchi has taken the mound 28 times this season, with a .407 slugging percentage allowed and a WHIP of 1.24. His overall record is 9-5, an ERA of 3.57, and 160 strikeouts – averaging 9.69 K’s per nine innings. On the road, he has gone 4-3 with an ERA of 4.15; at home, he is 5-2 with an ERA of 3.68.

Yusei Kikuchi’s most recent outing saw him surrender three hits across five innings, resulting in one earned run. Although the left-hander did not factor into the decision, his club, the Blue Jays, emerged victorious with a 5-4 victory over the Royals.

During their last five games, Toronto is the 16th ranked offense in terms of batting average. In these games, they have hit a combined .234 and are averaging 4.4 runs per game. Across the entire season, the Blue Jays are hitting .259 with an OBP of .332 while averaging 4.6 runs per contest. This figure puts them 16th in the league.

Over the last ten games, George Springer has been a major contributor to the Blue Jays’ offense, leading the team with two home runs. His season-long total of 19 homers is impressive, and he boasts an overall batting average of .263.