Thursday’s matchup between the Rangers and Athletics is set to get started at 3:37 PM ET from Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA. The forecast for Thursday’s game calls for clear skies and temperatures in the upper 50s. NSPCA will be televising this game.
The over/under line is currently at 8.5 runs, and the Rangers are favored on the money line, as their odds are at -114 compared to the Athletics at -105. Starting for the Rangers is Kumar Rocker, while J.T. Ginn goes for the Athletics. Texas is currently 3rd in the AL West, while the Athletics are 4th with a record of 68-90.
Rangers Look to Break Slump as Rocker Takes the Mound Against Astros
The Texas Rangers are 75-83 overall and 10.5 games behind the Astros in the AL West. They are 22-26 in divisional games this season. On the road, the Rangers are just 31-46. They are 4-6 across their last 10 games. Texas is 49-37 as the favorite and 26-46 as the underdog. They are 20-28-1 in series this season. The over/under line for today’s game is set at 8.5 runs.
Kumar Rocker is set to start for the Rangers today. He is 0-1 this season and is coming off a 3-inning outing in which he gave up 2 runs on 2 hits. Texas is 21st in runs per game this season at 4.2. Their .238 batting average is 16th in the league. They are 8th in strikeouts per game. Marcus Semien has hit 22 home runs and driven in 73 runs this season. The Rangers have a few players on hitting streaks, with Semien leading the way at 4 games.
Can J.T. Ginn Turn the Tide?
The Athletics are 68-90 overall and 22-26 against the AL West. They trail the Astros by 17.5 games and have lost two straight series. Oakland is 3-7 across their last ten games and 56-82 as the underdog. Their overall record as the home team is 37-43, compared to 31-47 on the road. Their over/under record is 75-81, and they have a combined run average of 8.7 runs per game. Oakland is 85-73 against the run line and 42-38 at home.
J.T. Ginn is starting for the Athletics today and comes into the game with a record of 0-1 and an ERA of 4.39. He has one quality start and is averaging 8.48 strikeouts per nine innings. Ginn has a no-decision in three of his last four outings and has allowed a home run in three of his last four outings. Oakland ranks 26th in scoring at 4.0 runs per game and 18th in batting average at .233. Brent Rooker is hitting .296 with 38 home runs and 110 RBI. Tyler Soderstrom is 6 for 17 (.353) in his last five games, and Miguel Andujar is on a 5-game hitting streak.
Athletics Over Rangers
Our predicted final score for this Rangers and Athletics matchup is 5-4 in favor of the Athletics. So, we would recommend taking the Athletics on the money line, where they are currently at -105.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have J.T. Ginn finishing with six strikeouts, which is good for fourth among today’s starters. As for Kumar Rocker, he is predicted to finish with five strikeouts, which is 10th.
