The Texas Rangers open their new Globe Life Park on Friday night – at least in a game that counts — to kick off the 60-game shortened 2020 MLB season as they welcome the Colorado Rockies for an interleague matchup.
How to Bet Rockies at Rangers MLB Odds & TV Info
- When: Friday, 8:05 PM ET
- Where: Globe Life Field
- Probable pitchers (away/home): German Marquez/Lance Lynn
- TV: MLB Extra Innings
- Stream:tv
- Radio: http://mlb.mlb.com/media/player/mpa/?c_id=mlb
- Opening MLB Lines: Rangers -125, Rockies +115 (total 9.5)
Why Bet on Colorado?
The Rockies went 71-91 (.438) in 2019 and finished in fourth place in the NL West. It was their first time not advancing to the postseason and their first time finishing below .500 since 2016 (75-87, .463). The .438 winning percentage was the lowest since posting a .420 (68-94) winning percentage in 2015. Colorado went 43-38 at home, 28-53 on the road.
The .346 road winning percentage was tied for the fifth-lowest in franchise history, and the worst since a franchise-low .259 winning percentage on the road in 2014 (12-60). Colorado’s final series win on the road came June 24-26 in San Francisco, going 8-30 away from home over the remainder of the season.
The Rockies’ Daniel Murphy went 1-for-3 with a solo homer on Tuesday in an exhibition win over the Rangers. It technically doesn’t count because it’s in an exhibition game, but Murphy’s homer off of Kyle Gibson will be known forever as the first home run hit at Globe Life Field.
The Rockies are hopeful that Charlie Blackmon will be ready for Opening Day, and he probably will be in there. Blackmon was absent for the first 10 days of workouts after testing positive for COVID-19. He slashed .314/.364/.576 with 32 homers, 86 RBI, and 112 runs scored in 140 games last year.
It’s German Marquez on the mound for his first career Opening Day assignment. Last season, Márquez went 7-3 with a 3.67 ERA in 15 road starts, and he finished with 175 total strikeouts in 174 innings. In his final seven starts of the season after July 15, went 4-0 with a 3.68 ERA (44.0 IP, 18 ER), seven walks and 47 strikeouts. Marquez pitched at least eight innings four times, the most eight-inning outings for Colorado since Jhoulys Chacín had four starts of at least eight innings in 2013.
Three of Colorado’s four losing streaks of five or more games were snapped with Marquez earning the win in a quality start (April 14 at San Francisco, July 21 at New York-AL and Aug. 11 at San Diego). In those three games, he combined to allow five runs over 24.0 innings of work (1.88 ERA) with four walks and 19 strikeouts.
Why Bet on Texas?Chris Woodward is in his second season as manager of the Rangers. In his first season in 2019, Rangers went 78-84 (.481) and finished in third place in A.L. West. The 78 wins marked an increase of 11 wins over the team’s 2018 total (67), T3rd-largest increase in baseball. The 78 wins also marked the 2nd-highest total in a manager’s first full season by any of the past 6 Texas full-time managers.
Catcher Robinson Chirinos (ankle) expects to be in the Rangers’ lineup on Opening Day. Chirinos hurt his right ankle in a collision at home plate during an intrasquad game recently, but tests came back negative. Rangers manager Chris Woodward also has said that outfielder Willie Calhoun (hip) should be ready for Opening Day. Calhoun was diagnosed with a Grade 1 hip flexor strain earlier this month.
Slugger Joey Gallo tested positive for the coronavirus earlier but is good to go now. The 26-year-old slugger possesses one of the highest power ceilings in the game and has legitimate 50-homer upside. If he stays healthy, he could lead the majors in home runs this season.
It’s veteran Lance Lynn on the mound for Texas. The 32-year-old Lynn posted a career year in his first season as a Ranger in 2019, earning him a fifth-place finish in American League Cy Young Award voting. He was the obvious choice to take the ball after a 3.67 ERA and 246 strikeouts across 208 1/3 innings a season ago. Lynn recorded the 3rd-highest single-season strikeout total in team history and one of the highest pitching WAR figures ever by a Ranger.
Lynn is making his first career Opening Day start. It will also be his first start against the Rockies since 2017. He is 2-2 with a 2.76 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP against Colorado over seven starts.
Game Trends
- Rockies are 7-19 in their last 26 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Rockies are 13-41 in their last 54 games as a road underdog.
- Rockies are 1-5 in their last 6 interleague road games.
- Rangers are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. National League West.
- Rangers are 1-5 in their last 6 interleague games.
- Rockies are 2-7 in the last 9 meetings.
Expert Prediction
Rangers 6, Rockies 5
