Texas Rangers vs Boston Red Sox Picks and Predictions August 2nd 2024

The Red Sox and Rangers are set to face off in an AL matchup at 8:05 PM ET. This one is being played at Globe Life Field in Arlington and the Red Sox are the betting favorite, with their money line odds sitting at -122 compared to the Rangers at +102. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs.

Boston comes into the game with a record of 57-50, while the Rangers are 52-57. Jose Urena is starting for the Rangers, while the Red Sox are sending Kutter Crawford to the mound. This will be Urena’s first start since being traded from the Marlins to the Tigers. Boston is currently 3rd in the AL East, while the Rangers are 3rd in the AL West. NESN will be televising Friday’s game.

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Boston vs. Texas Key Information

• Teams: Red Sox at Rangers
• Where: Globe Life Field Arlington
• Date: Friday, August 2nd
• Betting Odds BOS -122 | TEX +102 O/U 8.5

The Red Sox Can Win If…

Kutter Crawford is looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Yankees, where he gave up five earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work. In that outing, he gave up three homers. Crawford finished with a no-decision in the outing. Before that, he had won two straight starts. His record for the season is 6-8, and his ERA is 3.60. Opponents are batting .222 off the right-hander this season. Crawford has made 21 appearances and 11 of them have been quality starts. Per nine innings, he is averaging 8.61 strikeouts and just 2.13 walks.

Heading into today’s game, the Red Sox are 6th in the MLB in runs scored at 4.9 runs per game. They have been even better on the road, averaging 5.1 runs per contest. As a team, the Red Sox are batting .260, which is the 3rd best mark in the league, and they also have the 2nd best slugging percentage in the league. Boston’s offense has been tough to strike out this season, as they are 27th in the league in strikeouts.

Rafael Devers has been one of the best hitters in the MLB this season, as he is batting .306 with a league-leading 69 RBIs and 24 home runs. He has also been red hot of late, going 17/36 in his last nine games. Devers’ eight-game hitting streak is also the longest on the team. Tyler O’Neill has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 11/32 with four homers in his last eight games.

• The Red Sox are 4-6 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Red Sox are 2-3 vs. the run line.
• Boston has an over/under record of 8-2 in their last ten games.
• The Red Sox have an average of 6.6 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Red Sox are 4-6
• Looking back across the Red Sox last five games as the favorite, they are 2-3
• Boston has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Red Sox have averaged 5.2 runs per game on offense

The Rangers Can Win If…

Texas is sending José Ureña to the mound today vs. the Red Sox, and he has made 25 appearances this year, along with six starts. Ureña’s ERA for the season is 3.07, along with a record of 3-5. The right-hander has made three quality starts this year and is averaging 6.25 strikeouts per nine innings. Ureña most recently pitched on July 27th, where he went 4 1/3 innings out of the bullpen, giving up one earned run on five hits. He finished with a no-decision in that outing. Ureña has finished with a no-decision in each of his last four outings.

Adolis Garcia and Corey Seager have been the Rangers’ top power threats this season, with Garcia’s 18 homers ranking 2nd on the team and Seager’s 19 homers leading the team and putting him 12th in the league. Garcia is batting just .210 this season, while Seager has a batting average of .273. Marcus Semien has also been a solid power threat for the Rangers, as his 15 homers is 3rd on the team, and he is batting .246.

Seager and Nathaniel Lowe have been swinging the bat well of late, with Seager going 13/35 in his last nine games and Lowe also having two homers in this stretch. Lowe has also driven in seven runs in his last nine games. As a team, the Rangers are batting just .239, which is 14th in the league.

• The Rangers are 5-5 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Rangers are 1-4 vs. the run line.
• Texas has an over/under record of 7-3 in their last ten games.
• The Rangers have an average of 2.8 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Rangers are 3-7
• Looking back across the Rangers last five games as the favorite, they are 2-3
• Texas has gone 0-3 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Rangers have averaged 3.0 runs per game on offense

Rangers Try to Halt Offensive Slump Against Red Sox

The Texas Rangers are eager to turn things around as they kick off a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox on Friday night in Arlington, Texas. Manager Bruce Bochy is optimistic about a better performance following a rough series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Rangers’ Recent Struggles

The Rangers have hit a rough patch lately:

• Recent Games: The Rangers are coming off a 10-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, managing only five hits, with Marcus Semien getting two of them. This followed an 8-1 loss to the Cardinals on Tuesday, where the Rangers were limited to just four hits.
• Manager’s Comments: Bochy highlighted the need for improvements in hitting, pitching, and defense. “We’ve got to get these bats going,” Bochy said. “We have to put some pressure on the other club and do some things offensively.”

Team Performance

The Rangers’ performance has taken a dip:

• Losing Streak: They have lost five of their last six games, indicating a notable slump.
• Upcoming Pitching Plan: Texas has yet to announce a starting pitcher for Friday’s game against the Red Sox.

Red Sox’s Recent Performance

The Red Sox come into the series with some momentum:

• Recent Games: Boston is 4-8 in the second half of the season but recently won a series against the Seattle Mariners. Rafael Devers hit an RBI double in the 10th inning on Wednesday, securing a 3-2 victory and breaking a stretch of six games where they allowed at least seven runs.
• Manager’s Comments: Alex Cora expressed relief at winning the series, acknowledging the grind and the significance of the victory. “It feels like a relief, to be honest with you,” Cora said. “It was a grind, the whole day.”

Key Players and Performances

• Rafael Devers: Devers had an outstanding July, batting .362 with six home runs, 24 RBIs, 20 runs, 10 doubles, two triples, and a 1.132 OPS in 24 games.
• Kutter Crawford: Scheduled to start for Boston, Crawford has a 6-8 record with a 3.60 ERA. His last outing against the Yankees was rough, allowing five runs on eight hits, including three home runs, in 4 2/3 innings. Against Texas, Crawford has a 3.75 ERA in 12 innings over three appearances (two starts).

Injury Concerns

• Kenley Jansen: Boston closer Kenley Jansen’s availability for Friday is uncertain after he tweaked his lower back in his last appearance. The team’s training staff will assess his condition before the game. “We’ll see how he feels on Friday,” Cora said.

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Upcoming Schedule

• Rangers’ Homestand: Friday’s game starts a six-game homestand for Texas, with three games against Boston followed by three against the Houston Astros, a key American League West rival.
• Manager’s Focus: Bochy emphasized the need for the Rangers to get men on base and capitalize on scoring opportunities. “We have to put some men on base and get the hits. It’s pretty simple,” Bochy noted.

The Lean

There should be no shortage of offense in today’s Red Sox and Rangers matchup, and not only are we leaning towards the Rangers picking up the win at home, but we also like the over. The Rangers have the 2nd best team hits projection in the league today, and José Ureña has the 2nd best innings pitched projection on the slate.