The Boston Red Sox aren’t eliminated from AL Wild-Card contention, but they basically need a miracle at this point starting with a weekend sweep of the visiting Texas Rangers. They open a series in Boston on Thursday with the Red Sox as solid favorites on the MLB odds.

How to Bet Rangers at Red Sox MLB Odds & TV Info

• When: Thursday, 7:10 PM ET
• Where: Fenway Park
• Probable pitchers (away/home): Glenn Otto/Rich Hill
• TV: MLB Extra Innings
• Stream/gameday audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/
• Opening MLB Lines: Red Sox -150, Rangers +140 (total 9.5)

Why Bet on Texas?

Top catcher Jonah Heim didn’t start Wednesday’s matinee loss vs. Houston. Heim was on the bench for the second time in the last three matchups after he went 0-for-16 with a run, two walks and a strikeout over his last five games. Infielder Mark Mathias also got Wednesday off. Mathias started four of the previous five games and went 7-for-15 with a home run, a double, five RBI and three runs during that time.

The Rangers announced Wednesday that Kohei Arihara has been moved to the bullpen. Arihara had tentatively lined up to start Saturday in Boston, but the Rangers are instead expected to promote a pitcher from the minors to enter the rotation that day. The 30-year-old right-hander’s move to the bullpen comes after he submitted a 5.40 ERA, 1.67 WHIP and 12:5 K:BB in 15 innings across three starts.

Reigning A.L. Player of the Week Nathaniel Lowe owns a .376/.431/.632/1.063 slash line with 7 HR and 21 RBI in August, ranking among A.L. leaders this month in hits (1st), total bases (1st, 67), BA (3rd), OPS (3rd), HR (T3rd), OBP (5th), SLG (5th), and RBI (7th). Adolis García had a career-best on-base streak end Wednesday by going 0-for-4.

Marcus Semien (20 HR/20 SB) stole a base Wednesday for his 1st career 20/20 season. He and García (21 HR/22 SB) are the 2nd duo in Rangers history to have 20/20 campaigns in the same season. The only other duo was Nelson Cruz/Ian Kinsler in ’09.

It’s Glenn Otto scheduled on the mound Thursday. Otto (6-8, 4.79 ERA) earned the win against the Tigers last Friday, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out three and walking two over five innings. He threw 48 of 80 pitches for strikes across four frames, but was able to pick up the win thanks to an offensive outburst from his team. The righty has only completed six innings five times in 20 starts. Otto has pitched 5.0 innings or more in 8 straight games and has a team-high 8 losses but ranks among the A.L.’s top 5 rookies in many categories.

Otto has faced the Red Sox once, coming earlier this year at home in a Rangers 11-3 loss (4.0 IP, 8 H, 8 R-ER, 4 BB, 4 SO, 2 HR). He surrendered runs in the 1st (1), 2nd (4), 4th (1) and 5^th (3) innings, including homers by J.D. Martinez (solo) and Rafael Devers (2-R) in the 1st and 2nd frames, respectively. His eight earned runs allowed are a season-high.

Why Bet on Boston?

With MLB rosters set to expand to 28 players on Thursday, teams can give their top prospects a chance to gain valuable experience in The Show. Players called up in September will not lose their rookie status for 2023. The Sox might call up slugging first base prospect Triston Casas — the No. 2 ranked prospect in the organization – on Thursday.

So far this season with Triple-A Worcester, Casas is slashing .271/.385/.478 with 20 doubles, 10 homers, and 35 RBI in 69 games. He has posted a 1.003 OPS in the month of August and recently was voted as the best defensive first baseman in the International League.

“He’s one of the names that we have discussed,” Manager Alex Cora said Wednesday. “I’m not saying it’s tomorrow or in two weeks, but I do believe there’s a chance he’ll be part of this in September.”

Beginning Thursday and through the remainder of the regular season, all teams will be required to carry 28 players on their active rosters, including a maximum of 14 pitchers. The Red Sox are 27-13 (.675) when their starting pitcher throws at least 6.0 innings. They have won 5 of the last 6 such games and 7 of the last 10.

It’s lefty Rich Hill on the mound here. Hill (6-5) earned the win last Saturday, allowing zero runs on three hits and one walk over seven innings in a 5-1 win over the Rays. He struck out 11. The veteran had a tough stretch following his return from a knee injury, recording a 7.50 ERA and allowing 16 hits over 12 innings in the three starts prior to last Saturday. The 42-year-old has his highest ERA (4.32) since 2013 when he recorded a 6.28 ERA in 38.2 innings as a reliever.

Hill became the 1st Red Sox pitcher to record 11+ SO in a game at age 40 or older. Hill was 41 when he recorded a career-high 13 SO last season. Prior to Hill, the last pitcher to record 11+ SO in a game at age 40 or older was Randy Johnson in 2008 with ARI (13 SO, 8/22 vs. FLA).

Game Trends

• Rangers are 4-1 in their last 5 road games.
• Rangers are 5-2 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
• Red Sox are 20-6 in their last 26 vs. American League West.
• Red Sox are 2-7 in their last 9 Thursday games.
• Rangers are 10-21 in the last 31 meetings.

Expert Prediction

• Red Sox 6, Rangers 5

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