Bryan Armetta offers up a preview, prediction and pick for Saturday’s MLB game between the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox.
Entering the 2026 MLB season, both the Rangers and Red Sox had lofty expectations. Over two months in, and it’s safe to say neither has lived up to the hype. Things are a bit better in Texas, where the club sits just two games out of first place in the AL West. As for Boston, 28-39, the time is now to turn things around. Which of these American League foes will come out on top this afternoon?
The Red Sox are favorites (-118) over the Rangers, with the over/under set at 7.5 runs. Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Saturday’s showdown between Texas and Boston on DraftKings Sportsbook.
The headliner in this one is Jacob deGrom, and for good reason. Even at the age of 37, the right-hander remains one of baseball’s premier hurlers. Through 70.2 innings of work, the right-hander has notched a 3.18 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 84 strikeouts (10.7 K/9). In eight of his 13 outings this season, the former Cy Young winner has given up one earned run or less. deGrom sits within the top 93rd percentile in whiff rate (33.4%), strikeout rate (29.8%) and walk rate (5.3%).
That spells trouble for most teams, including the Red Sox. To say this offense has been underwhelming is putting it lightly. This group is averaging 4.00 runs per game this season, tied for the third-lowest mark in baseball. To make matters worse, they’re scoring an American League-worst 3.50 runs per game at home. A team that performs worse at hitter-friendly Fenway Park boggles the mind, but it’s no aberration at this point. Boston has also put up the fifth-lowest OPS against right-handed pitching (.679).
If there’s any reason for optimism in Beantown today, it’s Ranger Suarez. Over 12 starts (65.0 IP), he’s accounted for a 3.18 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 63 strikeouts (8.7 K/9). If there’s a downside, the 30-year-old has been slightly worse when taking the mound at home (3.77 ERA). Much like deGrom, Boston’s offseason acquisition is one of the sport’s more consistent arms. Suarez has allowed one run or less on seven different occasions. That includes his most recent showing, 6.1 innings of one-run ball vs. the Yankees. The veteran excels when it comes to limiting hard contact and base on balls. In comparison, the Rangers rank 20th in home runs (68) and walks (234) this season.
With that being said, there’s plenty to like about the visitors in this one. For starters, big bats Wyatt Langford and Corey Seager returned last week off of the injured list. While neither has been tearing it up, their presence alone makes the lineup far deeper. To boot, most of Texas’ struggles at the plate have come at home. On the road, the team is averaging a respectable 4.32 runs per game. Suarez’s most-used pitch is the sinker; he’s thrown it 27% of the time this season. Rangers batters have delivered an impressive .301/.392/.444 slash line against that offering.
At the end of the day, deGrom is the superior pitcher in this matchup. That’s before factoring in how bad Boston’s hitting has been this season. The Rangers aren’t world-beaters offensively, but I trust them at full strength more than the home team in this one. Not to mention, they’ll get to face a lefty at Fenway Park. On paper, that’s a recipe for success.
此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。