The Texas Rangers and the San Diego Padres start an MLB betting online four-game series tonight. The Rangers and the Padres are old foes and will rekindle their rivalry.
Time: 10:10 PM
Venue: Petco Park
Sportsbook odds for fans who bet on baseball:
Rangers +1½ (-200) 7½ (-115) +116
Padres -1½ (+170) 7½ (-105) -126
Texas
On the mound: Nick Martinez (RHP, 0-1, 4.91 ERA) surrendered seven runs – six earned – in 5 1/3 innings on Wednesday against the Astros. Martinez has never thrown versus San Diego but is 2-0 with a 4.88 ERA in five starts and on relief outing in interleague play. Martinez is in the rotation as a result of Cole Hamels being on the disabled list with a strained right oblique muscle.
At bat: Martinez is 0-for-9 in his career as a hitter, but his background as an infielder at Fordham means he’s familiar with bat-swinging. Rangers pitchers have a .146 batting average since Interleague Play started in 1997, which is the highest of any AL team.
Recent form: The Rangers have dropped six of their last eight games and seven of their last nine on the road, but they have won six of their last nine against the Padres.
Trends for fans who bet on baseball: Texas has covered the spread in four of their last six overall games as well as in four of their last six road games. The MLB betting total has gone over in four of the Rangers’ last six contests and in four of their last six games on the road.
San Diego
On the mound: The Friars were rained out on Sunday so they will start Trevor Cahill (RHP, 2-2, 3.60 ERA) instead of Jered ‘Dream’ Weaver. Cahill pitched more than six inning without an earned run in his previous start, and is striking batters at 30% rate. Opposing hitters are 2 for 34 against his curveball. This will be Cahill’s first start against Texas since 2013, but he often faced the Rangers as a pitcher for the A’s and Diamondbacks. Cahill is 9-4 with a 2.83 ERA in 16 career starts versus Texas, the second lowest by an active pitcher with at least 15 career starts against the Rangers.
At bat: Infielder Yangervis Solarte is .321 in his last 16 games, and .389 with runners in scoring position. Center fielder Manuel Margot is .353 at Petco Park, the 12th-best home batting average in the NL.
Recent form: The Padres have lost four of their last five games and six of their last seven at home – as well as five of their last six times hosting the Rangers.
Trends for fans who bet on baseball: San Diego has not fared any better at covering the spread; they are 1-4 against the spread in the last five overall and 1-6 ATS in the last seven at Petco Park. The MLB betting total has gone over in four of the Padres’ last five games and in six of their last seven at home.