The Texas Rangers travel to Cali to battle the Oakland Athletics in a three-game series.
The Rangers are coming off a 6-0 win over Miami yesterday to complete the sweep. Marcus Semien and Adolis Garcia were 2 for 4 in the game, scoring two runs and an RBI. Andrew Heaney pitched 5.2 innings allowing four hits and no earned runs. He also walked two and struck out four in the win.
The Athletics were able to clinch the series against the Giants after an 8-6 win yesterday. Nick Allen led the way with two home runs and three RBIs. He finished 3 for 4 in the win. Luis Medina lasted 3.1 innings, giving up five hits and three earned runs. He also walked five batters and struck out three.
Will the Rangers stay red-hot and take a 1-0 series lead, or will the Athletics find a way to get the win?
Rangers vs. Athletics Betting Odds
Rangers vs. Athletics Match Details
- Fixture:Â Texas @ Oakland
- Date and Time:Â August 7, 2023, @ 9:40 pm EST
- Venue:Â Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California
Key Stats
The Rangers (66-46) sit atop the AL West. They have won seven of their last ten games. Nathaniel Lowe leads the team with a .284 batting average and an OBP of .378. Adolis Garcia has hit a team-high 29 HRs and collected 89 RBIs. Texas’ offense ranks first with a .272 team batting average and an OPS of .807. Dane Dunning is the projected starter for today’s game. He is 9-4 with an ERA of 3.14 and 79 strikeouts. The Rangers’ bullpen ranks 14th with a team ERA of 4.11 and a WHIP of 1.24. Defensively, they are ranked sixth with a .988 FP and 46 errors.
Oakland (32-80) is last in the AL West standings and has lost six of their last ten games. Esteury Ruiz leads the team with a .257 batting average and 88 hits. Brent Rooker has tallied 18 home runs, 48 RBIs, and an OBP of .331. The A’s offense is ranked dead last with a team batting average of .223 and an OPS of .665. Ken Waldichuk (2-7) will toe the slab for game one. He has a 6.52 ERA. and 89 strikeouts. Oakland’s pitching ranks last with a team ERA of 5.84 and a WHIP of 1.53. Their defense is 28th in the league, with a fielding percentage of .982 and 69 errors.
Fantasy Quick Hits
Start ‘Em
- Dane Dunning: ($7,200 DK/$8,400 FD)- Dunning is coming off a monster game against the White Sox, where he posted 38.9 points on DK and 63 on FD. He now faces the worse offense in the league. I see Dunning putting up 20-25 fantasy points in this one.
- Nathaniel Lowe: ($4,400 DK/$3,200 FD)- Lowe has posted double-digit fantasy points in back-to-back games and now has a juicy matchup against Waldichuk, who has an ERA of 6.52 and bleeds runs to opponents.
Sit ‘Em
- Ken Walkdichuk: ($5,400 DK/$6,400 FD)- Waldichuk has struggled this season, and while he has been better in his last couple of outings, he faces the best offense in the league. I wouldn’t trust him and don’t see him lasting long.
Game Prediction
The Rangers are red-hot right now, and with Dunning pitching, I don’t see Oakland’s offense being able to do much. As discussed, Waldichuk has a tough task in this one, and I see Texas tagging him early and often. The Rangers are 5-2 against the Athletics this year, and I am backing them to win and cover the run line in this one.
Dusty’s Final Pick
Rangers -1.5 Run Line
