The Texas Rangers continue to slide back into obscurity after a push earlier this year. This weekend—including Saturday’s middle game of the three game set—is their chance to make a run at the division leading Los Angeles Angels in hopes of closing the expanding gap.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Despite a nine game difference in the standings, both the Angels and Rangers have done well according to the moneylines this year with Los Angeles up +$1,045 and Texas at +$937.
Regardless, Texas has been slumping and the Rangers have fallen to 45-49 after losing 10 of their last 14 games.
As cold as the Rangers have been, that is as hot as the Angels are. Now 54-40, the team in Anaheim has won seven straight games and 17 of their last 20. The team has finally been able to get players going on offense outside of Albert Pujols and Mike Trout and have been able to balance the offense with solid pitching.
If current trends aren’t enough, the Angels are also 31-18 at home while the Rangers are 29-23 on the road.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Fans have a good pitching matchup on tap for Saturday with All-Star southpaw Hector Santiago going up against veteran right-hander Yovani Gallardo.
Gallardo is a big part of why the Rangers have been able to hang around as long as they have without Yu Darvish.
Interestingly, this will be Gallardo’s first career start against the Angels. He’s 3-5 with a 3.36 ERA on the road though he’s lost each of his last three starts overall, posting a 5.28 ERA in the process.
Overall, the 29-year old out of Mexico is 7-9 with a 2.91 ERA and 1.270 WHIP through 117 1/3 innings spread over 20 starts.
On the other side, Santiago has put together a fine year with a 7-4 record, 2.30 ERA and 1.129 WHIP in 113 1/3 innings. The 27-year old lefty hasn’t allowed more than a single run in any of his last five starts, going 3-0 in that time with a 1.13 ERA.
QUOTE TO NOTE
The Angels scored 11 against the Red Sox in the first game of a double header on Monday and after the game, Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia had this to say:
“It was good to see the bottom of the order contribute with some big hits. They jumped on some first pitches and from them and we put some runs up in a hurry.”
LIVE/SITUATIONAL BETTING
Production from the bottom of the order is huge, but for the Angels production from anyone outside of Trout or Pujols is just as big.
The duo is obviously the big bats the Angels’ lineup is built around, but for a bulk of the season, they were the only ones producing.
Overall, Trout is hitting .303 with a 1.002 OPS and 28 home runs while Pujols leads the league in homers with 29 while adding 61 RBIs and a .878 OPS.
One of the key role players for the Angels has been David Freese who is quietly putting together a respectable season, but the third baseman is now sidelined after an injury on Wednesday.
Without him, that puts more pressure on the likes of Kole Calhoun, C.J. Cron and Johnny Giavotella.
Calhoun and Cron have both been red hot with Calhoun hitting .338 in July with six home runs and a 1.081 OPS while Cron is batting .477. Giavotella, meanwhile, has been leading off of late and had three hits on Wednesday.
With the Angels’ offense clicking, the Rangers have lost their edge.
On the year, the Rangers rank No. 10 in baseball averaging 4.31 runs per game. Delino DeShields is back in action at the top with his .370 OBP and Prince Fielder continues to rake with his .341 average and 15 homers. Add in Rougned Odor’s .370 average since his return and Mitch Moreland’s .854 OPS and you have a lineup that can keep pace with anyone.
PROP TALK
On the Rangers’ side of things, keep an eye on Adrian Beltre and Odor. Beltre is 7 for 22 with three home runs against Santiago in his career, while the rest of the team has hit just two long balls combined. Odor, meanwhile, is 5 for 11 with a .538 OBP.
On the other side, while Gallardo has never faced the Angels, he’s faced Pujols who is 12 for 27 against him with four home runs and 11 RBIs for a 1.441 OPS.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
A good pitching matchup and two offenses that are clicking should produce a competitive game. Given how good Santiago has been of late and how Gallardo has struggled his last three times out, I’m looking for the Angels to continue their streak.
Of course, Los Angeles also has the defensive edge, allowing 21 fewer errors and the better bullpen as well with a 3.33 ERA compared to Texas’s 4.50.
Los Angeles 5, Texas 3
The MLB lines for this contest will first be released by BookMaker Sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every half inning with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen in the next at-bat or how many runs will be scored in the next inning. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The ballgame pitting the Texas Rangers versus the Los Angeles Angels will commence Saturday, July 25, 2015, at 9:05 p.m. ET at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. You can watch the contest live on the MLB Network.
