Texas Rangers vs Minnesota Twins Picks and Predictions August 17th 2024

David Festa will start for the Twins on Saturday, and he is facing off against Nathan Eovaldi and the Rangers. The money line odds have the Rangers favored at -126, while the Twins are sitting at +107. This one is set to get started at 7:05 PM ET from Globe Life Field in Arlington.

The over/under line is currently at 8.5 runs, and BSSW will be televising this AL matchup. The Twins are 69-53 and the Rangers are 56-67, and Texas is looking to snap a two-game losing streak.

Minnesota vs. Texas Key Information

Right-hander David Festa gets the start for the Twins today as he faces the Rangers on the road. He has made five starts and six appearances this season, coming in with a record of 2-2 and an ERA of 5.21. Festa’s WHIP for the season is 1.34, and opponents are batting .241 off him this year. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, giving up one earned run in 3 1/3 innings of work. Before that, he had won two straight starts. Festa has allowed at least one homer in three of his last four outings.

Carlos Santana and Ryan Jeffers have been the Twins’ top power threats this season, as Santana leads the team with 17 homers and Jeffers is right behind him with 18. Both players have also driven in 54 runs. However, Santana has been in a bit of a slump of late, hitting just .188 over his last five games, while Jeffers is batting only .226 for the season. Willi Castro is also a double-digit home run hitter for the Twins, coming into the game with 10 homers and a batting average of .256.

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Minnesota’s offense has been very consistent this season, as they are 7th in runs per game and have a team batting average of .252. As a team, they are 5th in slugging percentage and 6th in OPS. Collectively, the Twins are batting .178 this season, which is the 5th best mark in the league.

Texas is sending Nathan Eovaldi to the mound today vs. the Twins, and he will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Yankees. In that start, Eovaldi took the loss, going three innings and giving up three earned runs. Looking back over his last four starts, Eovaldi has alternated between wins and losses. His record for the season is 8-6, and his ERA is 3.75. Eovaldi has made 21 starts this year, and opponents are batting .225 vs. Eovaldi this season. So far, he has turned in 10 quality starts.

As a team, the Rangers are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 18th in the league. They have been a little better on the road, averaging 4.4 runs per game. Texas has been near the middle of the pack in terms of home runs and batting average this season. One area they have excelled in is avoiding strikeouts, as they have the 8th fewest strikeouts in the league.

Corey Seager has been the team’s top hitter this season, batting .272 with 26 home runs and 63 RBIs. Adolis Garcia and Marcus Semien are also near the top of the team’s home run leaderboard, with 20 and 18 homers, respectively. Garcia comes into the game batting .227 for the season, but he has gone 8/21 (.381) over his last five games.

For an over/under pick, our lean is on the over, as this is projected to be the 6th highest-scoring game of the day. As for who is going to take this one straight-up, we have our lean on the Twins to pick up the win. Looking at today’s starters, David Festa is 5th in our projections in strikeouts, while Nathan Eovaldi is 13th.

Rangers Seek to End Slide as Twins Eye Series Win

The Texas Rangers find themselves in a tough spot as they prepare to face the Minnesota Twins on Saturday in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers, mired in a difficult stretch, are struggling to keep pace in the American League standings, while the Twins are looking to secure a series victory and solidify their position in the postseason race.

Twins on the Rise

The Minnesota Twins have been gathering speed as they push toward the postseason. After consecutive triumphs over the Rangers, remembering a 4-3 win for Friday, the Twins are currently three games behind the division-driving Cleveland Watchmen in the AL Central. Minnesota as of now holds the second of three AL wild-card spots, two games in front of the Kansas City Royals and 4 1/2 games up on the Boston Red Sox.

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Friday’s triumph was energized by the force of Carlos Santana and Ryan Jeffers, who represented all of the Twins’ runs with their grand slams. Jeffers attached the game with a performance shot in the third inning, and Santana conveyed a crucial three-run homer in the fifth that at last got the success. Jeffers presently drives the Twins with 18 homers this season, while Santana, in his fifteenth year, has added 17 to his tally.

Jeffers commended Santana’s effect in the group, saying, “For a 38-year-old, (Carlos) looks pretty youthful. I’m happy he’s in our group. His bat, his administration, and how he manages the glove. It’s invaluable to what we’re attempting to do this year collectively.” The Twins have won four of their last five games, and they’ll be hoping to move that energy along as they proceed with their push for the playoffs.

David Festa Takes the Mound

The Twins will send rookie right-hander David Festa to the mound on Saturday. Festa (2-2, 5.20 ERA) is making his sixth career start and is hoping to bounce back from a rough outing against Cleveland last Sunday, where he lasted just 3 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old will be facing the Rangers for the first time in his career, and a strong performance could help keep the Twins in the thick of the postseason picture.

Rangers Searching for Answers

On the other side, the Texas Rangers are experiencing their lowest point of the season. The reigning World Series champions have lost 15 of their last 20 games and are on the brink of losing their seventh consecutive series. The Rangers now find themselves a season-worst 11 games below .500 and are rapidly falling out of playoff contention. They are 10 games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the AL West and 11 1/2 games back of the final AL wild-card spot.

Despite holding a brief lead on Friday, the Rangers couldn’t hold on, as starter Andrew Heaney struggled, allowing four runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings. Texas has been losing close games recently, with four of their last five losses coming by just one run.

“A loss is a loss,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said after Friday’s defeat. “They’re all not fun. We’ve played some tight games, and lately things haven’t gone our way. … We haven’t put up runs like we’re accustomed to.” The Rangers’ offense, which was once a strength, has been inconsistent lately, making it difficult to win games even when their pitching staff gives them a chance.

Eovaldi Looks to Rebound

The Rangers will go to veteran right-hander Nathan Eovaldi to attempt to stop the pallet on Saturday. Eovaldi (8-6, 3.75 ERA) battled in his last trip, enduring only three innings and surrendering three sudden spikes in demand for six hits in a misfortune to the New York Yankees. Eovaldi has confronted the Twins multiple times in his vocation, posting a 4-3 record with a 4.89 ERA. The Rangers will require Eovaldi to convey serious areas of strength for an on the off chance that they desire to turn their fortunes around.

Conclusion: Rangers Desperate for a Turnaround

As the Rangers hope to snap their horrible streak and try not to drop one more series, they face an extreme errand against a Twins group that is playing with certainty and reason. The Twins, controlled by the bats of Santana and Jeffers, are amidst a solid playoff push and will be anxious to proceed with their triumphant ways. With David Festa on the hill for Minnesota and Nathan Eovaldi seeking bounce back for Texas, Saturday’s down will be a critical test for the two groups as they explore the final stretch of the time. The Rangers, specifically, are needing a success to keep their blurring playoff trusts alive.