Rangers vs Giants Picks, Odds & Prediction (Aug. 11): Wilmer Flores Can’t Be Stopped

Friday, August 11’s MLB slate is stacked, including the start of a three-game Rangers vs Giants series at Oracle Park. The two clubs have been heading in opposite directions as of late, leaving time to tell which trend continues once the dust settles tonight.

While Bruce Bochy makes his long-awaited return to San Francisco tonight, the Giants hope the Rangers' arrival gives them a jolt of energy (via @PavlovicNBCS) https://t.co/w9yqhQqEnO

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 11, 2023

The Rangers head into tonight’s contest after Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics ended their eight-game winning streak. Meanwhile, the Giants lost for the fourth time in five outings when they fell 4-1 to the Los Angeles Angels two nights ago.

Can the Rangers prove that the loss to the A’s was just a fluke? Or will the Giants finally put their bad luck behind them before it’s too late?

Here’s a look at everything you know heading into tonight’s Rangers vs Giants game, from the latest betting odds to a prediction with the best betting recommendation, courtesy of Betting News.

Texas Rangers vs. San Francisco Giants Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Texas Rangers (68-47, 28-27 Away) vs. San Francisco Giants (62-53, 33-24 Home)
• Venue & Location: Oracle Park (San Francisco, California)
• Date: Friday, August 11, 2023
• Game Time: 10:15 p.m. Eastern Time
• Where to Watch Rangers vs Giants: MLB.TV, Apple TV+

Rangers vs Giants Odds

Game odds as of Friday, August 11 at 11:11 a.m. ET from BetOnline. Odds from other sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Texas Rangers -1.5 (+151)
• San Francisco Giants +1.5 (-171)

Over/Under

• Over 8.5 Runs (-112)
• Under 8.5 Runs (-108)

Moneyline

• Texas Rangers -105
• San Francisco Giants -105

Rangers vs Giants Starting Pitchers

• Rangers: Jon Gray (20 starts — 7-5, 3.72 ERA)
• Giants: Scott Alexander (40 games/5 starts — 6-2, 4.01 ERA)

Rangers vs Giants Betting Trends

• Texas is 2-7 straight up in its last nine games against San Francisco.
• San Francisco is 2-4 straight up in its last six games against the AL West.
• The total has hit the under in each of Texas’ last six road games.
• The total has hit the under in each of San Francisco’s last seven home games.
• The total has hit the under in three of the last four Texas-San Francisco matchups.

Rangers vs Giants Game Preview

This game is a big one for Rangers manager Bruce Bochy. It marks his highly-anticipated return to the Bay Area after spending 12 years behind the Giants’ bench, which includes a trio of World Series titles between 2010 and 2014.

Bochy retired in 2019 but returned to the Majors to manage the Rangers this season. He’s proven that he still has what it takes to lead a club, highlighted by Texas currently sitting atop the AL West standings.

The good news for Bochy is that his team has a ton of momentum heading into his San Francisco return. The Rangers are 8-1 in their last nine games while boasting a plus-3.3 average run margin along the way.

On the flip side, the Giants have dropped four of their previous five outings and are 2-4 against their last six AL West opponents. In order to reverse their fortunes, starting pitcher Scott Alexander must have a strong showing on the mound.

Alexander was horrible when he started against the Angels on Tuesday. He was pulled before he could even record an out after giving up a trio of earned runs on three hits while only tossing 11 pitches.

That disastrous performance now means that Alexander is 0-2 with a 10.35 ERA in five starts this season.

The Rangers, on the other hand, are rolling with Jon Gray, who’s also been inconsistent. After going 6-1 with a 2.51 ERA in his first 11 starts, the 31-year-old hurler is 1-4 with a 5.33 ERA in his last nine.

Having said that, Gray seems to enjoy playing in San Francisco, pitching to a 2.12 ERA in his last three trips to Oracle Park. If he can bring that version of himself out tonight, the Rangers will have the edge on the mound.

Rangers vs Giants Prediction and Picks

Rangers vs Giants Prediction: Rangers 5, Giants 3

Rangers vs Giants Picks: Rangers ML (Best Value: -105 on BetOnline ) & Wilmer Flores 2+ Total Bases (+175 on BetOnline)

In a game that oddsmakers see going either way, I’m taking the Rangers to win. They’re the hotter club at the moment on top of the fact that they also have the pitching advantage. That’s not even mentioning how they’ll be extra motivated to win in Bochy’s return to San Francisco.

Another worthwhile bet is taking Wilmer Flores to record 2+ total bases at +176 odds. He heads into tonight’s contest on a 20-game on-base streak, batting .389 with 28 hits and seven home runs during that stretch. He’s racked up 81 total bases during this run, making good on this prop 13 times.

With how inconsistently Gray has pitched lately, I see Flores’ impressive streak being extended tonight.

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