The Tampa Bay Rays (44-45) seek to land a win against the Texas Rangers (41-48) in Game 3 of their series coming up on Sunday, July 7th, at 2:35 PM ET at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are favored to complete the sweep with a moneyline at -135.
The Rays are now 2-3 in their last five games overall and have lost the previous two against the Rangers. Their latest showing was a 4-3 result in Game 2, where they temporarily had the lead at the top of the seventh inning but lost it in the bottom.
They are starting Zack Littell (3-5) on the mound, who brings forward a solid pitching presence since the team averages a 4.26 ERA. He averages a 3.94 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP in 91.1 innings pitched so far, giving him some pressure to perform here.
The Rays' offense is strong enough to outperform the Rangers'. Although the Rays have fewer hits and home runs, their on-base percentage is slightly higher at .312.
Their batting average is .236, slightly below the Rangers' average. They also let their opponents average .245 at the plate, which does not help their situation.
The Rangers have won two straight and are now 3-2 over their last five games. They are currently averaging 3.50 runs a game in this series and have an excellent opportunity to stay ahead of the Rays.
Their starting pitcher will be Nathan Eovaldi (5-3), who has amassed a 3.15 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. Compared to their team ERA of 4.03, he will be a crucial aspect of their defense for the first half of this game.
The Rangers are better on the offensive end, scoring more runs and landing more hits. They have even produced eight more home runs than the Rays, which shows they also have a slight edge here.
Their offense at the plate is .239, but they are keeping opponents to .231 in return, which shows that they typically have some breathing room at the plate.
MyBookie has the betting odds ready for this MLB showcase, featuring the Texas Rangers as favorites. So far, they have been able to control this series with consistent offense. Looking at market insights, they have a 60.6 percent chance of closing it out with a sweep.
The Rangers have stronger pitching to start, and they are on a roll offensively. This season, they are also 4-1 overall in their matchups against the Rays. Look for them to win another close encounter.
