New York Mets at Texas Rangers Series Preview and Odds
Mets And Rangers Are Heading In Different Directions
Despite just a half-game difference between them record-wise, the vibes around the New York Mets and Texas Rangers — who meet up for a three-game series in Arlington starting on Monday — are very different right now. The Mets have won five-straight, nine of 11 overall, and are coming off a big sweep of the San Diego Padres.
The Rangers just got swept by the Seattle Mariners and are six games out of the last AL Wild Card spot. The Mets vs Rangers series odds have the Rangers as -118 moneyline favorites in Monday’s opener and at +160 to win by two or more runs on the runline. The total is 8.5 runs.
The Mets are still on the outside looking in at the NL Wild Card race but their play as of late has them right back in the mix. Their rotation has been fine and the bullpen has improved yet it’s the offense that is really powering New York.
The season-long numbers are decidedly middle-of-the-pack but, recently, the resurgence of guys like J.D. Martinez, Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte has given the Mets some formidable punch. If you’re making MLB predictions, don’t overlook how hot they have been.
Texas hasn’t really been good in any one facet of the game so far this season as injuries — and the routine World Series hangover — has hit the Rangers hard. Josh Jung and Evan Carter are on the IL from the lineup while Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer have yet to pitch this season. The Rangers’ bullpen has been especially bad and, outside of Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Josh Smith, the offense has really disappointed. They’re in a tough spot.
New York Mets vs Texas Rangers 
Day/Time:
Location: Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas
Mets’ Offense Is Cooking
New York’s sweep of San Diego was punctuated by an 11-run, 14-hit outburst in the series finale, led by Martinez, Nimmo and Lindor. Martinez is on a heater, with a 20-game on-base streak and has 12 RBIs in his last eight games to go with three home runs in that span. The veteran slugger got off to a slow start after he was signed late and is fully hitting his stride right now. His presence in the lineup really helps New York in the Mets vs Rangers series odds.
Even Pete Alonso, who was in a deep cold spell, snapped a long home run dry spell on Sunday and drove in five runs on the day. He still has 15 longballs this season even though he has been very inconsistent from week-to-week. When he is going right, Alonso is one of baseball’s scariest power threats and he is a key in the dangerous New York lineup. It also helps that Lindor is having a solid June after moving to the leadoff spot and Nimmo — after a slump of his own — has seven hits in his last three games.
Things seem to finally be coming together for the Mets and it has also coincided with the return of Francisco Álvarez from the injured list. New York is much, better when he is in the lineup and calling games behind the dish which is why they might be one of the best MLB bets today if you want to side with an underdog for plus-value.
Rangers Have (Most) of Top of Rotation Lined Up
While Texas Rangers‘ rotation on the whole has merely been pretty good, and far from the dominant force you’d expect it to be when looking at the names on the Rangers’ roster, Bruce Bochy’s club has two of its three-best healthy pitchers set to go in this series. Jon Gray, Michael Lorenzen and Andrew Heaney are set to pitch for Texas and, with Gray pitching on Monday, it’s no wonder the Mets vs Rangers series odds have Texas favored.
Gray has a 2.17 ERA in 11 starts and, maybe most importantly, has only given up three home runs in 62 1/3 innings after allowing 22 longballs in 157 1/3 innings last year. Cutting down on dingers has totally changed his effectiveness and he’s striking out one more batter per nine frames as well. Gray is finally starting to pitch like the top-of-the-rotation arm the Rockies hoped he would be in Colorado but it never panned out.
Lorenzen signed with Texas late in Spring Training and has been a godsend, posting a 2.86 ERA in 11 starts. He has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last six outings and even though he’s still walking too many batters, opposing batters are hitting just .212 against him. That’ll play even if his MLB records (just 4-3) don’t reflect how good he has been.
Take New York As The Underdog
The Mets are too good of value at +108 on the moneyline to pass up and, if you maybe want to throw them in a parlay or take a heavily juiced line, you could go with them at -190 to cover +1.5 runs on the runline. David Peterson (their Monday starter) isn’t great but New York’s bats are hot and the Rangers’ bullpen is one of the worst in baseball. The over 8.5 runs (-115) is also a good bet.
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