July 8 03:35 MLB Texas vs Tampa Bay
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Texas vs. Tampa Bay Game Analysis
Texas
Nathan Eovaldi (5 wins, 3 losses, 3.15 ERA) is aiming for his 6th win of the season. He proved to be strong at home by pitching seven innings with one hit and no runs against San Diego on the 3rd. His seven-inning, four-hit, no-run performance in an away game against Tampa Bay on April 4 also raises expectations for this game. Despite Marcus Semien’s two-run homer and four runs scored in the previous game, Texas still faces serious scoring issues. Particularly, Adolis García's .210 batting average is hard to believe. The bullpen, which wasted Heaney's win by allowing three runs in 3.2 innings, has a long way to go until the 8th inning.
Tampa Bay
Zach Littell (3 wins, 5 losses, 3.94 ERA) is aiming for his 4th win of the season. He pitched five innings with four hits and no runs against Kansas City on the 3rd and has consistently pitched well for five innings recently. Although he suffered a loss last year against Texas, pitching 3.1 innings and allowing five hits and one run, his daytime record of 2 wins and 2 losses with a 2.86 ERA suggests he can be trusted for five innings. In the previous game, the only scoring was Yandy Díaz’s three-run homer against the Texas bullpen; thus, Tampa Bay’s batting has been poor in this series. After his appearance, Kevin Kelly allowed a devastating home run to a right-handed batter.
Comments
Tampa Bay's batting lineup has been unable to tackle Texas starters in this series, which will likely be a problem again in this game. Considering Littell’s pitching, this will not be an easy game for Texas either, but Eovaldi’s strength at home is a key point. Although Texas has a weakness in not being able to activate its winning squad, if they take the lead, Ureña’s multi-inning save will close the game. Texas Rangers are closer to victory due to their advantage in starters.
Recommended Bets
Win/Loss: Texas Win
Handicap: +1.5 Tampa Bay Win
U/O: Under 7.5