Wednesday's interleague matchup between the Rangers and Diamondbacks is set to get started at 3:40 PM ET from Chase Field in Phoenix. Texas is 70-75 overall and is starting Cody Bradford, while the Diamondbacks are 81-64 and will have Merrill Kelly on the mound.
Arizona is at -145 on the money line compared to the Rangers at +123. The over/under line is currently at 8.5 runs, and the Diamondbacks will be looking to extend their two-game winning streak. Texas is 3rd in the AL West, while the Diamondbacks are 3rd in the NL West.
Texas vs. Arizona Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Rangers at Diamondbacks
- Where: Chase Field Phoenix
- Date: Wednesday, September 11th
- Betting Odds ARI -145 | TEX +123 O/U 8.5
Rangers vs Diamondbacks Last Game Recap
It was all Arizona in the last game of this series, as the Diamondbacks took down the Rangers by a score of 6-0. The D-backs offense only had two more hits than the Rangers and struck out nine times, but still picked up a convincing win. Heading into the game, they were favored at -180 on the money line.
This game featured a starting pitching matchup between Zac Gallen for the Diamondbacks and Nathan Eovaldi for the Rangers. Gallen went just five innings but didn't give up a hit or a run and finished with seven strikeouts. On the other side, Eovaldi was tagged for four runs in five innings of work.
Christian Walker and Joc Pederson each homered for the Diamondbacks, while Jose Herrera scored twice and drove in a run while going 2/4. Wyatt Langford had a two-hit game for the Rangers.
Rangers Preview
Currently, the Rangers are 70-75 overall and trail the Astros by 7.5 games in the AL West. They have won seven of their last ten games but dropped the series opener vs. the Diamondbacks. This season, the Rangers are 47-33 as the favorite and 23-42 as the underdog. In terms of series record, they are 20-25-1 and have won four straight series.
On the run line, the Rangers have struggled with a 61-84 record. Their games have averaged 8.7 runs per game this season, and their O/U record is 65-75. When the O/U line is set at 8.5 runs, their record is 25-29. For the season, 31.0% of their games have had O/U lines higher than 8.5 runs.
Left-hander Cody Bradford gets the start for the Rangers today as he faces the Diamondbacks on the road. He has made 10 starts this year and has a record of 5-2 with a 3.05 ERA. Bradford has pitched well at home, coming in with a record of 4-1 and an ERA of 2.88. On the road, his ERA is 8.6, and he has allowed seven homers in just three starts. In his most recent outing, Bradford picked up the win, going six innings and giving up one earned run on two homers. Before that, he had lost two straight starts.
The Rangers offense comes into today's game averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 22nd in the league. They have been a bit better on the road this season, also averaging 4.2 runs per game, but are just 23rd in the league in home games. As a team, the Rangers are batting .238, which is 15th in the league, and their team on-base percentage of .306 is 17th. Texas has been good at putting the ball in play, as they are 8th in the league in fewest strikeouts.
Corey Seager has been the Rangers' top power threat this season, as his 30 homers are 1st on the team and 11th in the league. Seager also leads the team with 74 RBIs and comes into the game with a batting average of .278. Adolis Garcia is 2nd on the team with 22 homers but is batting just .216 for the season. Both Josh Jung and Wyatt Langford have been swinging the bat well of late, with both players going 12/34 in their last nine games.
Diamondbacks Preview
Arizona is 81-64 overall and 5 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West. The Diamondbacks have a 25-18 record against NL West teams and are 2-0 in their last two games. Their overall series record is 25-17-4, and their run line record is 76-69.
When the O/U line is set at 8.5 runs, Arizona's O/U record is 30-17. Their games have averaged 10.2 runs per game this season, and their overall O/U record is 83-55.
Arizona is sending right-hander Merrill Kelly to the mound today vs. the Rangers. He has made nine starts this season and has a record of 4-0 with an ERA of 4.08. Kelly's WHIP for the season is 1.23, and he has turned in four quality starts. In his most recent outing, Kelly went seven innings vs. the Giants, giving up two earned runs, and finished with a no-decision. Looking back over his last four outings, Kelly has finished with a no-decision in three of them. The Diamondbacks have won each of his last three starts.
Arizona is the top-scoring team in the league this season, averaging 5.4 runs per game. They have been even better at home, putting up 5.6 runs per contest. The Diamondbacks are also the league's top team in terms of on-base percentage and OPS. Overall, they are batting .262, which is the 2nd best mark in the league.
Ketel Marte has been a big power threat for the Diamondbacks this season, as his 30 homers lead the team and are 11th best in the league. Eugenio Suarez is also among the league leaders in homers, with his 26 long balls being the 2nd most on the team and 14th best in the MLB. Suarez has been red hot of late, going 15/37 with five homers in his last 10 games.
Rangers vs. Diamondbacks Prediction: Diamondbacks ML -145
Our prediction for this Rangers vs. Diamondbacks matchup is that the Diamondbacks will pick up a 6-5 win at home. With the Diamondbacks coming in at -145 on the money line, we see this as a good payout for a team that is going to come away with a win.
Looking at some potential player props, Merrill Kelly is projected to finish with four strikeouts, which would have him finishing with the third-fewest among starting pitchers. As for Cody Bradford, he is projected to finish with five strikeouts, which would have him in the middle of the pack.
