Rangers vs. Red Sox Prediction and Odds for Thursday, Sept. 1 (Texas Is Sneaky Road Dog)
By Peter Dewey
The Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox are both on the outside of the playoff picture in the American League, so it will be interesting to see how they handle the final month of the 2022 season.
Boston has a veteran on the mound in Thursday’s opening matchup, as Rich Hill (6-5, 4.32 ERA) is looking to build on his seven-inning 11-strikeout performance against the Tampa Bay Rays last time out.
Rangers youngster Glenn Otto (6-8, 4.79 ERA) pitched better in the month of August with a 2.93 ERA, but his Fielding Independent Pitching was still 5.26.
Who has the edge in this unispring pitching matchup? Let’s jump into the odds from WynnBET:
Rangers vs. Red Sox Odds, Run Line and Total
Rangers vs. Red Sox Prediction and Pick
If there is one thing we know about Otto, it’s that he’s a far superior pitcher on the road this season. In 10 road starts, Otto has a 3.53 ERA while holding opponents to a respectable .211 batting average.
At home? Those numbers balloon to 6.10 and .253 respectively. So, pitching in Fenway Park is actually a welcome sign on Thursday night.
Even though his FIP is concerning, it's mainly due to Otto’s control issues, as he’s walked 16 batters over his last five starts, but only allowed 18 hits. The Red Sox happen to be one of the least patient teams in the league this season, ranking 23rd in walks drawn.
Now, we get to the veteran Hill, who flashed some brilliance in his last outing against a Rays team that struggles against lefties. That won’t be the case on Thursday. Texas ranks sixth in MLB in OPS against left-handed pitching this season, and it’s worth noting that Hill had a 7.50 ERA in his first three starts in August.
I don’t have a ton of confidence in Otto, but I think Texas’ offense can make up for some of his flaws.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.