Best MLB Bets Today: Texas Teams Take Center Stage Today

Our bets for today come from a pair of Texas teams battling for the AL West title. The first is a game between the Washington Nationals and Texas Rangers. The second is a matchup between the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians and the struggling Houston Astros.

Below, we’ll share our favorite bets for these games with odds taken from Caesars Sportsbook. If you want to sign up with Caesars to bet on these games, use our promo code WSN1000 to claim a $1,000 First Bet Offer.

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Best MLB Bets Today: Nationals vs. Rangers (2:35 PM EST)

Rangers -1.5 (+105 at Caesars Sportsbook)

The Texas Rangers entered the season as the reigning World Series champions, but their record has hovered around the .500 mark over the first month. The team has struggled with a shorthanded pitching staff and a soft backend of the bullpen, and things have been turning around lately. They have won four of their previous five games, and we see them adding another to the tally today. 

One big reason we love this bet is the Texas lineup. While Corey Seager has gotten off to a slow start, Adolis Garcia (.292 BA, 8 HR, 25 RBI) and Josh Smith (.317 BA, 2 HR, 14 RBI) are swinging the bat as well as anyone in the league. While the team ranks towards the middle of the pack in runs scored, their lineup remains one of the best in the AL and will have a great chance to do some damage with a rookie on the mound.

The Nationals will be starting 24-year-old Mitchell Parker against Texas this afternoon. The young lefty has been fantastic through his first three big league starts, including an impressive outing against the Dodgers. However, his youth started to show in his last outing against the Marlins. Mitchell allowed one run over four innings but allowed six hits and two walks.

In addition to his struggles last week, Mitchell has also been played by issues with his control in the minors. He’s been far better about it in the majors, but don’t be surprised if the issue rears its head against a disciplined Rangers team that is seventh in the league in strikeouts. 

Bet on Rangers -1.5 at Caesars Sportsbook

Best MLB Bets Today: Guardians vs. Astros (8:10 PM EST)

Over 9.5 (-110 at Caesars Sportsbook)

Don’t look now, but the Houston offense is starting to come alive. While they have ranked in the top five of the league in batting average (.265), they are in the bottom half in runs scored (132). The big difference between those two numbers suggested the run total would soon skyrocket, and it appears that is already the case. 

After a run that saw them lose eight out of nine games and average 2.4 runs, the team put up 30 runs over their next three games. Jose Altuve (.345 BA, 7 HR, 9 RBI), Kyle Tucker (.300 BA, 7 HR, 20 RBI, 5 SB), and Jeremy Pena (.327 BA, 3 HR, 11 RBI) have been leading the way, but Alex Bregman (.216 BA, 1 HR, 10 RBI) also broke out of a cold streak. The third baseman is a streaky hitter but can be elite when he sees the ball well. Considering he seems to be getting his groove back, we expect another big outing from him today. 

The Houston offense will have a great chance to stay hot with a floundering Logan Allen (3-1, 5.46 ERA, 1.40 WHIP) on the mound for Cleveland. The second-year player has been bad, getting hit especially hard over his last four starts. That's a bad sign heading into a matchup against a Houston team that hammered him hard last year (.409 BA, .458 OBP, .727 SLG).

Houston’s pitching situation won’t improve today with rookie Spencer Arrighetti (0-3, 10.97 ERA, 2.34 WHIP) on the mound. The 24-year-old is the Astros’ top pitching prospect, but he hasn’t played like it over his first three starts. Considering that the Guardians rank fifth in the league in runs scored, we see them adding to Arrighetti’s woes tonight.

Bet on Over 9.5 at Caesars Sportsbook

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