Texas Rangers vs Boston Red Sox Prediction, 8/20/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Texas Rangers vs Boston Red Sox

Date: Friday, August 20, 2021

Location: Fenway Park in Boston, MA

TV: NESN

Odds/Point Spread: Texas (+285) Boston (-400)

Fenway Park is the site where Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox (69-54, 3rd in AL East) will play the Texas Rangers (42-78, 5th in AL West) on Friday. The odds on this contest have the Rangers coming in at +285 and the Red Sox are at -400. The total is set at 8. The pitchers who are expected to start are Dane Dunning and Chris Sale.

The Rangers have tallied 153 two-baggers as a unit and have knocked 130 baseballs out of the park. Texas is slugging .368 and have been called out on strikes 1,039 times, while drawing a walk on 327 occasions. As a unit, the Texas Rangers are putting up 3.7 runs per contest, which is 29th in the league. They have recorded 428 RBI's in addition to 881 hits so far this year, and their batting average is at .223. They are sitting with 447 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .288.

Get all of our Free MLB Picks

The Rangers have an earned run average of 4.69 over the course of the season (24th in the league), and their staff has rung up 931 hitters. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.50 and the pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.34. Rangers pitchers have surrendered 170 long balls in addition to 593 total runs (24th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 372 opposing players and their FIP sits at 4.68 as a team on the campaign.

The Rangers have dispatched 365 relief pitchers to the hill on the campaign. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 159 runners this year and 35.8% of them ended up scoring. They have compiled 21 saves this season and have blown 16 of 37 save chances. The Rangers bullpen have recorded a save percentage of 56.8% and has entered the game in 77 save situations. The relief pitchers have earned 39 holds so far this season (30th in the league). Rangers pitchers have gone to the mound with runners on base 103 times as well as having 101 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Rangers have turned 69.4% of baseballs in play into outs in their 9,489 innings on the field, ranking them 16th in pro baseball. The Texas Rangers have earned a total of 3,163 putouts this season, in addition to 1,097 assists and 64 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .985 which has them sitting 11th in MLB, and they have twisted 882 double plays.

Dunning has thrown 133 innings and has earned 132 K's thus far in his career. His earned run average is 4.04 (60 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.317. He has conceded 128 base hits (8.6 hits per 9 innings) and has 48 free passes. Dunning (7-7 career mark) has earned a FIP of 3.65 while he has faced 566 opposing batters during his time in the majors.

The Red Sox hold a slugging % of .442 and they score 4.97 runs per game (7th in the league). They have put up 253 two-baggers, while walking 367 times as well as putting up 611 runs. Boston has tallied 156 home runs for the season to go along with 577 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 1,047 occasions (16th in the league) and have tallied 1,072 hits. The Boston Red Sox have accounted for an on-base percentage of .324 as well as a batting average of .259 on the year.

The Red Sox have a WHIP of 1.387 in addition to having a FIP of 3.94 as a team on the year. Their K/BB ratio is 2.76 (1,147 strikeouts against 416 free passes). They are currently ranked 28th in baseball as a staff in total hits surrendered with 1,065. They have surrendered 131 homers and they give up 4.71 runs per 9 innings (16th in MLB). The Boston pitching staff have relinquished 559 runs this year while holding an ERA of 4.31 (511 earned runs yielded).

Sitting with 130 save situations, the Red Sox have amassed 71 holds and also 18 blown saves. Boston has called on relief pitchers to take the mound in 55 save opportunities and they have come away with 37 saves. Their relievers have come in 131 times in high leverage situations and on 126 occasions with runners on base. Boston relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 30.8% out of their 198 inherited runners. They are ranked 4th in the league with a save percentage of 67.3%, and they have sent 406 relief pitchers to the mound on the campaign.

Out of their 9,615 innings played, the Red Sox hold a defensive efficiency of 65.8% (30th in pro baseball). The Boston Red Sox have turned 109 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .982 (27th in pro baseball). The Red Sox have recorded 1,067 assists, 79 errors and have a total of 3,205 putouts this year.

In his pro baseball career, Sale has given up 1,318 base knocks while earning 2,015 strikeouts in 1,634 frames. Sale (110-73 career mark) has a 3.03 earned run average while giving up 7.3 hits per nine innings. He has given up a total of 550 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.035 and a FIP of 2.9. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 5.39 and he has faced 6,564 hitters in his pro baseball career.

Who will win tonight's baseball game against the spread?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Texas (+285)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here