MLB Betting – Rangers, A’s Fight for Top Spot in AL West

The Oakland A’s and Texas Rangers were always known as polar opposites over the past decade, as the Rangers always had a powerful lineup and average-to-bad pitching while the A’s had the average lineup and excellent pitching.

Subsequently, the A’s were almost always the better team. Now, the Rangers have finally invested in pitching, as they are in the top five in the AL in many categories and it has paid off. The Rangers are the MLB betting favorite for tonight according to the baseball odds despite being on the road as well against the second-place A’s, with the Rangers holding down first place by a game and a half in the AL West.

The A’s aren’t too shabby in pitching as well, however, but can they make MLB betting fans happy by covering the baseball betting odds tonight?

Texas Rangers (Scott Feldman, R) at Oakland A’s (Vin Mazzaro, R)

10:05 ET, The Coliseum

MLB betting line: Texas favored at -1 ½

While the Rangers have gotten a little more positive press, the truth is that neither they nor the A’s have set the world on fire this year.

The run differential of the Rangers is +10 with the A’s clocking in at an even 115 runs to their opponents’ 115 runs.

The A’s have been average in hitting to below average as they’re 8th in the AL in BA so far this year, and their on-base percentage is just 9th which is a far cry from their famous “Moneyball” roots of taking walks and having a good eye at the plate to swing at good pitches.

The Rangers’ offense hasn’t been much better, of course, as the only category they rank high in is stolen bases at 3rd in the AL.

The pitching matchup isn’t anything special, either, with Vin Mazzaro’s 5+ ERA up against Feldman’s 4.5.

Feldman had a rough outing in his last one giving up 4 runs in just over 3 innings, however, while Mazzaro has at least kept the A’s in their recent games.

The MLB betting underdog A’s according to the baseball odds have home field advantage and this should end up as a close one according to the stats.

The baseball betting odds will be tough for the Rangers to cover in this one on the road considering the similar nature of these two teams.

MLB betting pick: Oakland A’s (+1 ½). >> SIGN UP NOW!