Boston (22-8) at Texas (12-20)
When: Thursday, May 3rd 2018
Where: Globe Life Park, Arlington, TX
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: MLB Network
Opening Odds: Boston -138/9.5
The Boston Red Sox begin a 10-game road trip on Thursday with the first of four against the Texas Rangers, and they are happy to have Mookie Betts back in the lineup. The star outfielder erupted for three home runs on Wednesday in his first game back after missing the previous three with hamstring tightness. He became the youngest player in MLB history to have four three-homer games and also passed the legendary Ted Williams for the franchise mark. Betts finished the game 4-for-4 to raise his batting average to .365 and is a .310 lifetime hitter against the Rangers despite going just 5-for-26 against them last season. The Red Sox took two of three against the last-place Kansas City Royals this week and will face another cellar-dweller in Texas, which lost at Cleveland 12-4 on Wednesday to finish 3-3 on a six-game road trip. The Rangers won the last meeting against Boston at home on July 5th to end a six-game winning streak in the series in which the Red Sox accumulated 55 runs. Rangers outfielder Nomar Mazara has homered in back-to-back games and has eight RBIs in his last seven games, while Joey Gallo hit his team-leading 10th on Wednesday. A pair of lefties will square-off on Thursday as David Price opposes Mike Minor.
Pitchers: Red Sox – David Price (2-3, 3.78 ERA) | Rangers – Mike Minor (2-1, 4.33)
Price began 2018 with scoreless outings covering 14 innings, but has since been rocked. He has lost his last two starts, and was hit for four runs on nine hits in a season-high 7.2 innings at Oakland on April 22nd, then Tampa Bay jumped on him for six runs over 5.2 innings in his last start. Adrian Beltre (14-for-41) and Shin-Soo Choo have each homered twice off Price, who is 4-5 with a 5.11 ERA versus Texas.
Minor has been a different pitcher when playing at home, as he’s been awful on the road. He’s allowed just four runs in three starts at Globe Life Park, posting a 1-1 record and 2.25 ERA. Away from home, he is 1-0, but the ERA is 7.36 after allowing four runs on nine hits over six innings at Toronto last time out. Minor has made six appearances (two starts) against the Red Sox, going 0-2 with a 3.63 ERA.
Price is struggling right now and has not had great success against the Rangers, but this is not a very good Texas team right now, and the Red Sox are the best team in baseball. I think this is a small ‘Price’ to lay with Boston. Get it?
Pick: Red Sox -145
BETTING TRENDS:
- Red Sox are 4-0 in their last 4 Thursday games.
- Red Sox are 7-2 in their last 9 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400.
- Red Sox are 7-2 in their last 9 during game 1 of a series.
- Red Sox are 12-4 in their last 16 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 38-13 in their last 51 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
- Red Sox are 17-6 in their last 23 games on grass.
- Red Sox are 19-7 in their last 26 road games.
- Red Sox are 12-5 in their last 17 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 40-19 in their last 59 games following a win.
- Red Sox are 39-19 in their last 58 overall.
- Red Sox are 1-4 in their last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Red Sox are 6-2 in Price’s last 8 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Red Sox are 9-3 in Price’s last 12 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 5-2 in Price’s last 7 starts with 4 days of rest.
- Red Sox are 1-4 in Price’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Rangers are 11-25 in their last 36 games on grass.
- Rangers are 7-17 in their last 24 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Rangers are 7-19 in their last 26 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Rangers are 6-20 in their last 26 home games.
- Rangers are 1-4 in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Rangers are 3-13 in their last 16 during game 1 of a series.
- Rangers are 1-6 in their last 7 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Rangers are 1-6 in their last 7 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 4-0 in Red Sox last 4 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 5-1 in Red Sox last 6 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-1-1 in Red Sox last 7 Thursday games.
- Over is 13-3 in Red Sox last 16 games following a win.
- Under is 4-1 in Red Sox last 5 road games.
- Under is 4-1 in Red Sox last 5 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 20-5-2 in Red Sox last 27 during game 1 of a series.
- Over is 6-2 in Red Sox last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
- Over is 7-3 in Red Sox last 10 vs. American League West.
- Under is 7-3 in Red Sox last 10 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 13-6-1 in Red Sox last 20 on grass.
- Under is 4-1 in Price’s last 5 Thursday starts.
- Over is 6-2 in Price’s last 8 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Over is 6-2 in Price’s last 8 road starts.
- Over is 6-2 in Price’s last 8 starts vs. American League West.
- Over is 9-3 in Price’s last 12 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-2 in Price’s last 7 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Over is 5-0-1 in Rangers last 6 overall.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Rangers last 4 Thursday games.
- Over is 5-0-1 in Rangers last 6 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 6-1 in Rangers last 7 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-1 in Rangers last 6 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-1-1 in Rangers last 7 vs. American League East.
- Over is 4-1 in Rangers last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Over is 4-1 in Rangers last 5 during game 1 of a series.
- Over is 9-3 in Rangers last 12 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 6-2 in Rangers last 8 on grass.
- Red Sox are 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
- Over is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.
- Under is 13-6-1 in the last 20 meetings in Texas.
