Texas Rangers (35-59) vs. Detroit Tigers (44-51)
July 21, 2021 7:10 pm EDT
The Line: Detroit Tigers -115 / Texas Rangers -105 ; Over/Under: 9.5
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The Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers meet Wednesday in MLB action from Comerica Park. This will be the third installment in a four-game set between these teams. Detroit posted a shutout win Monday, then in the Tuesday game, the Tigers kept it going with a three-run victory. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Texas couldn’t get anything going offensively in the Monday game, putting up just four hits and two errors in a 14-0 blowout loss. In the Tuesday game, the Rangers had four hits in a 4-1 loss. Dane Dunning put up 4.2 innings with four hits and three earned.
For Wednesday’s matchup, the Rangers will send Jordan Lyles to the mound. Across his 100.1 innings this year, Lyles has 116 hits, 59 runs (58 earned), 21 homers allowed, 33 walks, 79 Ks and a 5.20 ERA.
Over on the Tigers’ side, they really got their bats working in the Monday game, logging 19 hits in the big win. In the Tuesday matchup, Detroit had nine team hits and two runs in the fifth inning. Tarik Skubal put up 6.0 innings with four hits and one earned run.
For the starter job in the Wednesday game, the Tigers will send out Matt Manning. This year Manning is 1-3 with a 6.95 ERA and nine strikeouts.
The Rangers are 9-21 in their last 30 versus the AL Central and 17-41 in their last 58 overall. Texas is 2-6 in their last eight Wednesday games and 16-53 in their last 69 road games.
Meanwhile, the Tigers are 10-1 in their last 11 Wednesday games and 64-146 in their last 210 games versus a right-handed starter. Detroit is 23-55 in their last 78 versus the AL West and the over is 9-4-1 in their last 14 overall.
PICK: I’m going to take the Rangers. That’s somewhat contingent on Lyles having a bounce-back start, however. In his last game July 16 versus the Blue Jays, Lyles gave up six earned on seven hits, three walks and a whopping four homers in just 4.0 innings. It was his second four-homer outing in the span of a month. Provided Lyles can get back to business here and put up a quality start, I think Texas will be okay.
