The Rangers and Royals may suffer a letdown when opening a three-game set at Kauffman Stadium, as both teams are coming off an emotional series against division rivals. Let’s find out which side you should add as one of your MLB picks on Friday night.
Rangers offense heats
up before hitting the road
The Texas Rangers
finished their 10-game homestand with an even 5-5 record, which included a pair
of wins to end a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels, as the
offense scored 26 combined runs in those contests.
Sports bettors will
want to watch the MLB betting odds closely for this affair, with the Kansas
City Royals losing all three of their games as a home underdog of +150 to +175
this season. The host is looking to match its longest win streak of the
season with a victory here, coming off a three-game home sweep of the Cleveland
Indians.
It’s nearly impossible
to back Guthrie in this spot
Rangers starting
pitcher Matt Harrison (12-6, 3.19 ERA) has suffered back-to-back losses for
just the second time this year, allowing nine runs and 15 hits over 13 combined
innings against the Los Angeles Angels and Chicago White Sox. The
left-hander has done his best work on the road, posting an 8-3 record and 3.01
ERA, while also possessing a 9-3 mark and 2.52 ERA in 13 nighttime outings. In two career outings at this ballpark, Harrison has gone 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA.
Jeremy Guthrie (3-11,
6.68 ERA) will be making his third start for the Royals since coming over from
the Colorado Rockies, registering an 0-2 mark and 9.58 ERA in his first two efforts. The right-hander has served up 24 home runs in 101 combined frames this year,
which could prove troublesome when facing a team that ranks seventh in the
majors with 125 round trippers. In 12 career games (nine starts) versus
the Rangers, Guthrie has tallied a 3-2 mark and 3.84 ERA, including 3.1 shutout
innings of relief work on June 24.
Road favoritism
doesn’t bother the boys from the Lone Star State
Often times, betting
trends are overrated in sports handicapping, but this one is hard to ignore. Texas has won 31 of 38 games as a road favorite of -151 to -200, which includes
a perfect 4-0 mark when Harrison takes the mound in that situation. If
the tariff is too high, I suggest taking a look at the run-line, as the Rangers
have covered it in all seven of their road wins with the southpaw on the hill.
Can Billy Butler ruin
the party?
Royals designated
hitter Billy Butler has seven hits in 10 career at-bats against Harrison, which
could play a major role in the team winning just its second game in its last
nine tries against left-handed starters. Kansas City ranks 13th in the league
with a .257 batting average versus southpaws, but is third-worst in hitting
just 21 home runs in 1,107 at-bats in that situation.
Prediction
I’m wary of laying
this type of number with the Rangers due to playing an emotionally-draining
series against the Angels in the Texas heat, but it’s not exactly an air
conditioned environment that the Royals have been playing in recently. With temperatures reaching the high-90s at Kauffman Stadium, I’m going to back
the team that can hit the ball out of the ballpark with regularity.
MLB Pick: Texas
Rangers -176