Tampa Bay Rays vs Texas Rangers Prediction, 7/17/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Texas Rangers

Date: Monday, July 17, 2023

Location: Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX

TV: Bally Sports Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Tampa Bay (-115) Texas (-105)

The Texas Rangers (54-39) host the Tampa Bay Rays (60-36) at Globe Life Field on Monday. The moneyline on this contest has the Rays at -115 while the Rangers are priced at -105. The betting total comes in at 8.5. The starting pitchers will be Taj Bradley and Dane Dunning.

The Rays have earned 171 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 140 balls out of the park. Tampa Bay owns a slugging percentage of .454 and have been rung up 820 times, while taking a walk on 310 occasions. As a squad, the Tampa Bay Rays are putting up 5.4 runs per game, which ranks them 4th in the league. They have amassed 493 runs batted in and 828 hits on the campaign, and their batting average is sitting at .259. They have 516 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .331.

Get all of our MLB Picks

They have a K/BB ratio of 2.88 and their pitching staff has earned a collective WHIP of 1.20. Rays pitchers have conceded 97 long balls and also 360 runs (2nd in MLB). Tampa Bay has given up 712 base knocks (7.6 per 9 innings) in addition to 341 earned runs. The Rays are sitting with a team ERA of 3.65 for the year (2nd in the league), and their staff has struck out 843 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 293 opposing batters and their FIP is 3.97 as a unit on the year.

Rays pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 73 times and also have had 92 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers are sitting with 47 holds this year (18th in the league). The Rays relievers have a save percentage of 60.5% and has come into the game in 90 save situations. They have earned 26 saves this year and have blown 17 of their 43 save chances. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 114 runners for the season with 22.8% of them ended up crossing the plate. The Rays have dispatched 309 relief pitchers to the hill so far this year.

The Rays have turned 71.2% of balls in play into outs out of their 7,569 innings, which has them sitting 1st in the majors. The Tampa Bay Rays have accounted for 2,523 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 859 assists and 38 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .989 which has them sitting 3rd in pro baseball, and have earned 77 double plays.

Bradley (5-5 record in his career) holds a FIP of 3.98 and he has gone up against 269 hitters in the major leagues. He has surrendered 66 base hits (9.7 hits per 9 innings) and has 19 free passes. His ERA is 5.43 (37 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.386. Bradley has taken the mound for 61 innings and has accounted for 80 punch outs in his MLB career.

The Texas Rangers have earned an OBP of .343 and a team batting average of .275 on the season. They have been called out on strikes on 793 occasions (17th in MLB) and have notched a total of 899 hits. Texas has accounted for 128 home runs on the season as well as 523 RBIs. The Rangers have a team slugging percentage of .463 and they average 5.86 runs per game (1st in baseball). They have put up 210 doubles, while walking 321 times and earning 545 runs.

The Rangers are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.212 in addition to having a FIP of 4.13 as a squad this year. Their K/BB ratio is 8.10 (745 strikeouts against 262 bases on balls). They are currently ranked 9th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 736. They have given up 100 long balls and they allow 4.23 runs per 9 innings (9th in baseball). The Texas pitching staff have given up 387 runs this year while holding an ERA of 3.97 (363 earned runs allowed).

Texas has called on relievers to take the mound in 33 save opportunities and they have earned 17 saves. They rank 26th in MLB holding a save rate of 51.5%, and they have dispatched 253 relief pitchers onto the field over the course of the season. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill 77 times in high leverage situations and also on 87 occasions with runners on. Texas relief pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 31.3% out of 144 inherited base runners. Sitting with 78 save situations, the Rangers have tallied 44 holds and 16 blown saves.

The Texas Rangers have turned 84 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .988 (5th in pro baseball). The Rangers have racked up 835 assists, 41 errors and are sitting with 2,470 putouts so far this season. In 7,410 innings on the field, the Rangers have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 70.8% (3rd in baseball).

Dunning (19-20 career mark) has a 4.06 earned run average and has allowed 8.8 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.43 and he has faced 1,695 hitters during his career. He has given up a total of 179 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.338 and having a FIP of 4.1. In his MLB career, Dunning has allowed 389 hits while he has totaled 345 strikeouts in 397 frames.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (-115)

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