Diamondbacks vs. Rangers Odds
| Diamondbacks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | Total | Run Line |
+108 | 8.5 -104 / -118 | +1.5 -205 |
| Rangers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | Total | Run Line |
| -126 | 8.5 -104 / -118 | -1.5 +168 |
The AL West's Texas Rangers host the NL West's Arizona Diamondbacks in the second and final installment of this mini two-game interleague series.
En route to its fourth straight win, Texas won the first matchup of this series 6-4. Will the Rangers complete the mini-sweep, or can the Diamondbacks pull off the upset on the road?
Here's a look at the odds as well as my Diamondbacks vs. Rangers betting pick.
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks have had a decent start to the campaign, and they currently sit in second place in the NL West at two games over .500. Arizona's hitting has played a key role in the strong start as the DBacks bats rank in the top half of the league in BA, SLG and OPS this season.
While the team has performed well at the dish, the Snakes struggle with swings and misses, and that is likely to continue against left-hander Andrew Heaney. Since the beginning of last season, the DBacks rank in the bottom half of the league in K% when facing left-handed pitching.
Looking at Wednesday's projected lineup, the punch-out could be an issue once again with guys like Evan Longoria and Corbin Carroll slated to hit in the middle of the order. Those two both have a K% north of 22% this season. Additionally, Arizona's successful hitting to start this season is a bit misleading considering it has faced one of the easier schedules through the first month of the campaign (based on SoS), which means further regression is likely.
Texas Rangers
As mentioned above, Heaney is projected to take the mound for the Texas Rangers in this contest. Through five starts this season, the left-hander is 2-2 with a 4.38 ERA and 1.22 WHIP.
While those surface-level stats are not the strongest by any stretch, they are misleading as Heaney has been dominant excluding his first start of the year against the Baltimore Orioles, a poor performance that is weighing down those numbers. Outside of that brutal outing, he is 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA and 1.14 WHIP.
The punch-out has come up clutch for Heaney over that stretch, and he is averaging six strikeouts per game over that span. This season, he ranks in the 55th percentile or higher in K%, Whiff% and Chase Rate.
In fact, the left-hander has been a dominant pitcher in the strikeout department since joining the league, finishing with a K% north of 24% in each of the past seven seasons. While Heaney only possesses a three-pitch arsenal, he effectively pumps the fastball to set up his devastating slider and changeup.
Diamondbacks vs. Rangers Betting Pick
Heaney's success generating swings and misses is likely to continue against Arizona. While it is certainly a small sample size, this current DBacks roster possesses a troubling 35.7 K% and 37 Whiff% across 14 career plate appearances against the left-hander.
Dating back to last season, Heaney has recorded at least six strikeouts in 13 of his past 21 starts. At a mere 5.5 total, take the over on Heaney's strikeout prop against this Arizona team primed for regression at the dish.
Pick: Andrew Heaney Over 5.5 Strikeouts (-132 | Play to -145) |
