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Thursday’s Twins vs. Rangers matchup has a first pitch set for 8:05 PM ET from Globe Life Field in Arlington. Minnesota is currently 2nd in the AL Central and has an overall record of 67-53, while the Rangers are 3rd in the AL West and 56-65.
The money line odds have the Twins at -123 compared to the Rangers at +104, and the over/under line is at 8.5 runs. Cody Bradford is starting for the Rangers, and the Twins are going with Bailey Ober. BSSW is carrying this game on TV.
Minnesota vs. Texas Key Information
- Teams: Twins at Rangers
- Where: Globe Life Field Arlington
- Date: Thursday, August 15th
- Betting Odds MIN -123 | TEX +104 O/U 8.5
The Twins Can Win If…
Minnesota is sending Bailey Ober to the mound today vs. the Rangers, and he comes in with a record of 12-5 and an ERA of 3.52. So far, he has made 22 starts, and opponents are batting .201 this season. Ober has turned in 13 quality starts and is averaging 9.63 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, he went six innings and didn’t give up a run, picking up the win. Before that, he had given up two earned runs in three straight starts. The right-hander has been much better at home, coming in with a 7-1 record and 2.94 ERA compared to 5-4 with a 7.9 ERA on the road.
For the season, the Twins are 6th in scoring at 4.9 runs per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.1 runs per game. As a team, they are also 6th in home runs and have the 7th best team batting average in the league. Minnesota also has a good team on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS.
Byron Buxton and Carlos Santana are tied for 2nd on the team with 16 home runs apiece, with Ryan Jeffers leading the way with 17 homers. Jeffers also leads the team with 53 RBIs. Buxton has gone 3/12 with two homers over his last four games, and Max Kepler is hitting .381 over his last five games.
- The Twins are 5-5 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Twins are 3-2 vs. the run line.
- Minnesota has an over/under record of 5-4-1 in their last ten games.
- The Twins have an average of 5.2 runs per game over their last five games.
- Across their last ten road games, the Twins are 4-6
- Looking back across the Twins last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
- Minnesota has gone 0-3 in their last three games as the underdog
- In their ten most recent road games, the Twins have averaged 3.6 runs per game on offense
The Rangers Can Win If…
Left-hander Cody Bradford gets the start for the Rangers today as he faces the Twins at home. He has made five starts this season and has a record of 4-0 with a 3.60 ERA. Opponents have hit .203 off Bradford this season, and he has a WHIP of .93. In his most recent outing, Bradford picked up the win, going five innings and giving up one earned run on seven hits. Looking back, he has turned in a quality start in two of his outings. The last time he faced the Twins, he gave up five earned runs in two innings of work out of the bullpen. At home, his ERA is 3.03 compared to 12.15 on the road.
Adolis Garcia and Corey Seager have been two of the Rangers’ top power threats this season, as Seager leads the team with 26 homers, and Garcia is right behind him with 20 of his own. Seager also comes into the game with a team-high 63 RBIs and is batting .274 for the season. Garcia has been hot of late, going 11/24 in his last six games.
As a team, the Rangers are 17th in the league in scoring at 4.3 runs per game. They have been a bit better on the road, averaging 4.4 runs per contest. Overall, they are batting just .239 and have a collective on-base percentage of only .308.
- The Rangers are 3-7 in their last ten games.
- Over their last five games, the Rangers are 4-1 vs. the run line.
- Texas has an over/under record of 6-3-1 in their last ten games.
- The Rangers have an average of 6.6 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 1-4
- Texas has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
- In their ten most recent road games, the Rangers have averaged 4.4 runs per game on offense
Twins and Rangers Set for Exciting Pitchers’ Duel in Series Opener
The Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers are gearing up for a thrilling series opener on Thursday night in Arlington, Texas. Two of the league’s hottest pitchers, Bailey Ober and Cody Bradford, are set to face off in what promises to be an exciting start to this crucial four-game series.
Bailey Ober’s Dominant Run Fuels Twins
Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (12-5, 3.52 ERA) has been on fire lately, winning his last four starts. In his most recent outing, he delivered six shutout innings in a 4-2 victory over the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians, extending his streak to nine straight quality starts. That’s the longest streak by a Twins pitcher since Johan Santana’s 21-game run in 2004.
Ober has been nearly unstoppable over his last nine starts, posting a 7-1 record with a dazzling 1.76 ERA. But despite the impressive numbers, Ober is keeping his focus on the game.
“It’s great to have that streak, but I’m not thinking about it too much. I’m just out there trying to pitch my best every time,” Ober said.
Ober has faced the Rangers twice before, with mixed results—he’s 1-0 against them, but with a 7.00 ERA. In their last meeting on May 24, he allowed just two runs over five innings to earn a win.
Cody Bradford Looks to Stay Hot for Rangers
On the other side, Rangers lefty Cody Bradford (4-0, 3.60 ERA) is also coming off a strong performance. He held the AL East-leading Yankees to just one run over five innings in a 9-4 win. Bradford has been sharp since returning from injury, using his ability to pitch inside effectively against right-handed batters.
“Pitching at Yankee Stadium was a dream come true,” Bradford said after his win. “I grew up a Rangers fan, watching them beat the Yankees in the 2010 ALCS, so this was a special moment for me.”
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy has been impressed with Bradford’s preparation and ability to make adjustments during games, praising the young pitcher for his consistent execution.
Bradford has faced the Twins twice before in relief, pitching two scoreless innings and picking up a win. As he continues to refine his approach, he’ll be looking to extend his unbeaten streak as a starter.
Injuries and Team Momentum
The Twins might be without center fielder Byron Buxton, who’s missed the last two games with a hip injury. Manager Rocco Baldelli mentioned that a decision on whether Buxton will return soon or go on the 10-day IL is coming.
The Rangers are coming off a tough road trip where they went 2-4, but they ended on a high note with a 9-7, 10-inning win over the Boston Red Sox. The Twins, after a 4-3 homestand, lost some momentum with a 4-1 defeat to the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday, missing out on a three-game sweep.
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Anticipation Builds for Key Pitching Duel
With both Bailey Ober and Cody Bradford in top form, the series opener between the Twins and Rangers is shaping up to be a must-watch game. The Twins will be counting on Ober’s consistency to keep them in the hunt, while the Rangers are looking to Bradford to continue his unbeaten streak and give the team a boost as they return home.
As both teams fight for crucial wins, this game is set to be a tightly contested showdown where the pitchers’ performance could be the deciding factor.
The Lean
Our lean for a money-line pick would be to take the Twins to come out on top. And with the way we are leaning for an over/under pick, we would go with the over. This game is projected to have the 4th most combined runs in today’s league slate and the 4th most hits. Minnesota starter Bailey Ober has the highest innings pitched projection among today’s starters, and he also has the 3rd best strikeout projection compared to Cody Bradford, who has the 3rd worst among today’s starters.
