The Texas Rangers have officially frittered away all their good will from that four-game sweep in Toronto last week. Not only did they get swept by the Guardians over the weekend, but their offense went quiet yet again in a 4-2 loss in the series opener against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night. Now tied for the third and final AL Wild Card spot, Texas (82-68) will look to avoid a fifth straight loss in game two on Tuesday while Boston (75-76) is just trying to get out of the AL East basement. First pitch from Globe Life Park is set for 8:05 p.m. ET. Righty Tanner Houck (5-9, 4.94 ERA) will go for the Red Sox, with Nathan Eovaldi (11-4, 2.96) getting the ball for the Rangers.
Texas enters as -155 favorites on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook, with Boston at +130. The run total is set at 8.5.
Red Sox-Rangers picks: Tuesday, September 19
Injury report
Red Sox
Out: 1B Triston Casas (right shoulder)
Rangers
Out: OF Adolis Garcia (right patellar tendon strain), SP Max Scherzer (right teres major strain)
Starting pitchers
Tanner Houck vs. Nathan Eovaldi
Houck is coming off maybe his best start of the season, spinning six shutout innings while striking out seven in a win over the Yankees last week. New York has been just about the only team the righty has been able to handle, though: It was just the fifth time he’s been able to complete six frames, and the sixth time in 18 starts that he’s allowed fewer than three earned runs. Houck gave up nine runs over his first 10.1 innings in September, and he’s struggled in particular against lefties, with a .283/.353/.542 slash line allowed. His slider is an elite offering, but he doesn’t have a ton else to work with to get opposite-handed hitters out — the Yankees didn’t have the kind of left-handed bats to take advantage, but it could be different for Corey Seager and Co.
Eovaldi rushed back into the Rangers rotation without so much as a single rehab appearance after missing weeks with a forearm strain, and the righty hasn’t looked right since he returned. He’s pitched just seven innings across three outings this month, with 11 hits and six runs allowed — including two runs on three hits and three walks in 3.1 innings against Toronto last week. Eovaldi’s velocity is still worryingly down — he averaged just 93.8 mph on his fastball — and after throwing 74 pitches last time out, he’ll likely only be able to go five innings at the absolute most tonight.
Over/Under pick
The first game of this series saw just six runs scored, and both of these offenses have been inconsistent of late, but I’m still backing the over tonight. I don’t think Houck matches up particularly well with Texas, and Eovaldi hasn’t looked anywhere near the Cy Young candidate he was in the first half. It wouldn’t be a surprise if both of these pitchers surrendered three or four runs in their time on the mound, which makes this number feel a touch low.
Pick: Over 8.5
Moneyline pick
In a dead heat with Seattle for the final AL Wild Card spot, Texas desperately needs a win here, but I don’t think they’ll get it. I think the Rangers lineup presents a far different challenge for Houck; the problem, however, is that Eovaldi doesn’t seem capable of giving his team the effectiveness or length they need right now. The Rangers bullpen has been among the worst in baseball of late, and that could wind up costing them again tonight.
Pick: Red Sox +130
