The Texas Rangers (24-15) will aim to earn a valuable divisional series win when they visit the Oakland Athletics (9-32) in the final matchup of their four-game series on Sunday, May 14.
- Rangers vs Athletics Game Info
- Rangers vs Athletics Odds & Spread
- Rangers vs Athletics Betting Trends
- Rangers vs Athletics Prediction & Pick
- Rangers vs Athletics Best Bet
Rangers vs Athletics Game Info
- Date:'Sunday, May 14, 2023
- Time:'4:07 p.m. ET
- Venue:'Oakland Coliseum — Oakland, CA
Coverage:'ESPN+, BSSW and NBCSCA
The depth of the Rangers' pitching staff has been on display throughout this series as the Athletics have been shut out in two of the three contests. Oakland exploded for 9 runs in their victory on Friday night, but it was an outlier during a campaign in which the team ranks 27th in runs per game (3.80).
Rangers vs Athletics Odds & Spread
- Moneyline:'TEX: (-154) | OAK: (+130)
- Spread:'TEX: -1.5 (+102) | OAK: +1.5 (-122)
- Total:'9 — Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)
The Rangers enter this contest as road favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 4:07 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 9 runs with both sides available at -110 odds.
Rangers vs Athletics Betting Trends
- Texas is 4-1 straight up in its last five games against Oakland.
- The total has hit the under in four of Texas' last five away games.
- Oakland is 2-14 straight up in its last 16 home games.
- The tot al has hit the over in six of Oakland's last nine games against Texas.
Rangers vs Athletics Prediction & Pick
There's no denying that the Athletics have served as the punching bag for MLB teams looking to rack up wins early on this year. Oakland has lost 14 of its last 16 home games and has little to no pitching depth to lean on. It ranks dead last in the majors when it comes to opponent runs per game (7.44).
That bodes well for Texas' chances of securing a series win on Sunday. The Rangers lead the league in runs per game (6.23) and rank fifth in hits per game (9.15). Manager Bruce Bochy's squad has been firing on all cylinders at the plate as of late, scoring at least 4 runs in 12 of its last 14 MLB showdowns.
Andrew Heaney has seen subpar on the mound for Texas, pitching to a 5.25 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in seven starts so far. However, Drew Rucinski has been much worse for Oakland. He has logged a 8.16 ERA and 2.09 WHIP across three starts, so fade the 34-year-old hurler in any way possible on Sunday.
Final Score Prediction:'Rangers: 6 | Athletics: 3
Rangers vs Athletics Best Bet
Jesus Aguilar may be past his prime at the age of 32, but he remains a pro who crushes left-handed pitching. He is slashing .361/.455/.694 in 45 plate appearances against southpaws in 2023, which makes him a player to back on Sunday. Keep in mind Aguilar has already faced Heaney four times in his career and has posted a hit in three of those four at-bats. Taking on juiced odds is worth it here.