Rangers vs. Red Sox: Picks, predictions, how to watch Saturday’s game

The Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox square off on Saturday with first pitch set for 4:10 p.m. ET. The game takes place at Fenway Park in Boston and will be available to watch on ESPN+. The Rangers will send Kohei Arihara (1-2, 5.40 ERA) to the hill while the Red Sox will counter with Brayan Bello (0-4, 7.27 ERA).

Texas (58-73) is staring at an 0-2 series deficit against the Red Sox, with the latest loss coming by way of a 9-1 rout on Friday. The Rangers have lost seven of their last 10 games and are currently riding a six-game losing streak, which has the makings of a free-fall to close out the season. Despite having the pitching advantage in Saturday’s contest, the Rangers are just 30-35 when playing in the opposing ballpark.

Boston (65-68) has now put together three straight wins as they carry some motivation on their shoulders heading into the month of September. Their fifth-place standing in the AL East is a disappointment for a team that had higher expectations coming into the season, but they’re not out of the playoff race just yet. The Red Sox are 7.5 games back from a wild card spot as a result of the expanded playoff, so the hope is still alive. Finishing off a sweep against a free-falling Rangers team can put Boston on the right track.

Rangers vs. Red Sox

Pitchers: Kohei Arihara vs. Brayan Bello
First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET
Rangers local broadcast: Bally Sports Southwest
Red Sox local broadcast: New England Sports Network
Live stream: WatchESPN, ESPN app with an ESPN+ subscription

Odds, picks & predictions

Run Line: Red Sox -1.5 (+130)
Run total: 9.5
Moneyline odds: Rangers +125, Red Sox -145

Moneyline pick: Red Sox -145

Boston leads the regular season series over Texas 2-1, including wins in the first two games of this current series. The Red Sox have some extra motivation in their back pocket with a viable shot at the postseason, while the Rangers seem to be freefalling and potentially calling it in. With the added stakes, I like the Red Sox to continue their winning ways.

Player prop pick: Corey Seager over 0.5 RBIs (+115)

Seager has eight RBI over his last five games, including three in his last two contests against the Red Sox. Boston will also have a rookie on the mound on Saturday, furthering the chances that Seager sees continued success at the plate.

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