Game: Houston Astros @ Texas Rangers
Time: 8:05 p.m.
Odds: Astros +121, Rangers -132
Total: 8.5
Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander were the stars of the New York Mets’ starting pitching rotation a little more than a month ago. The veteran right-handers will face each other tonight with their respective new teams in the series finale between the Texas Rangers (76-62) and Houston Astros (79-61) in Arlington, Texas.
Verlander (10-7, 3.34 ERA) will make his eighth appearance for Houston, and Scherzer (12-5, 3.55) will want to carry his recent success forward. In six starts for the Rangers, he is 3-1 with a 2.21 ERA. It’s rare to get a matchup like this between two pitchers who are destined for the Hall of Fame.
Additionally, this will be Verlander and Scherzer’s first start against one another. They were members of the same starting rotation with the Detroit Tigers early in their major league careers in addition to being teammates in New York.
The Rangers, who have lost five of their last six games and are now two games behind the Astros for first place in the American League West, are hoping for a strong showing from Scherzer. They need it after getting drilled 14-1 on Tuesday. Texas has now given up 27 runs in its last two games. Scherzer needs to stop the bleeding. As a result of yesterday’s loss, Texas now finds itself on the outside looking in. It’s the first time since April that the Rangers have not held a playoff spot.
Concern has been raised about the pitching, particularly the bullpen’s performance. The Rangers bullpen ranks 26th in bullpen ERA this season at 4.97. Lately, the bullpen has really struggled. Texas is 4-6 in its last 10 games. In the six losses, the Rangers gave up at least five runs in all of them.
Texas lost 5-1 to the Minnesota Twins on Friday after blowing a one-run lead. That game marked the fewest runs allowed by the Rangers in their last six losses. Manager Bruce Bochy knows his bullpen must get better. Starting pitchers don’t throw a lot of complete games anymore.
After Tuesday’s victory, Houston’s post-All-Star break surge has the Astros in exclusive possession of first place in the AL West division standings. After being swept by the New York Yankees in their previous series, the Astros have gone 7-3 in their last ten games and scored 27 runs in this series. Houston now has four double-digit scoring games in its last nine.
Houston is averaging 8.6 runs per game over its last 10. Not surprisingly, the Over is 13-4 in Houston’s last 17 games. The Astros are now 6-1 in the last seven against Texas. Houston has won seven straight road games.
The Rangers are fading. They are 1-5 SU in their last six games and just 1-8 SU in their last nine at home. Texas is third in MLB in scoring and five of their last six games have gone Over the total. Five of the last six against Houston have also gone Over.
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