Rangers vs Mets Odds: Can The Rangers Solve Kodai Senga?

• Adolis Garcia has a .211 batting average in August
• Three of Dane Dunning’s last four starts resulted in totals under 9
• Kodai Senga has a 2.64 ERA at home and 2.87 ERA in night games

Rangers vs Mets Odds

Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook. See different MLB betting sites for more betting opportunities! 

Rangers vs Mets Picks

• My Pick: Under 8.5

Rangers vs Mets Predictions

While this is a lopsided pitching matchup, this game is going to be a low-scoring thriller. Senga has been a dominant force for the Mets and will have no problem against a floundering Rangers offense. On the other side, Dane Dunning could have a rough day but won’t be bad enough to put this bet in danger.

Texas Rangers Predictions

The Rangers have looked like a completely different team over the last few weeks. An eight-game losing streak dropped them out of the AL West lead, and they are now in a three-way race with Seattle and Houston. The biggest reason has been a major offensive slump in which their stars struggled to drive runs in. While they have shown signs of turning things around over the last few days, the offense still looks off. This lineup is too good to struggle for too long, but they will be at a significant disadvantage on the road against a fantastic Mets starter. Expect another low-scoring game like we saw last night, leading to an easy cover.

The Rangers' offensive struggles can not be understated. The team still ranks second in batting average and third in RBIs, but they averaged just three runs per game during their eight-game losing streak. The last few days have been a little better, but Senga will provide a much more formidable challenge. Our player to watch is Adolis Garcia, who had a .211 batting average in August. The veteran has been a big part of the team's success, so it's no surprise the team’s slump has coincided with Garcia’s. The right fielder owns a .211 average on the road this season, so don’t expect him to break out of his slump in New York tonight.

Dane Dunning (9-6, 3.36 ERA) is in the midst of his best MLB season. He has been a crucial part of the Texas rotation after coming into the season as a long reliever/spot starter. Dunning has been rocky in August, especially over his last two starts. While we don’t know if he can snap out tonight, we do know that three of his previous four starts had totals under nine. Considering the Met's surprisingly lackluster offense, we think he adds to that total tonight.

New York Mets Predictions

The Mets have been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2023 season. Despite a massive payroll and aggressive offseason, the team’s playoff hopes are essentially over as they sit over 20 games back from the division lead and nine out of the final Wild Card spot. Their run totals show that the offense is starting to check out, scoring more than three runs just once in their last nine games. They still have the bats to do a lot of damage, but given their dimming playoff chances and organizational drama, it is hard to imagine them breaking that run tonight.

Over the last week, the Mets have a combined batting average of .173. That includes a brutal stretch for Pete Alonso, who was just 2-19 during that span. They have also seen Francisco Alvarez regress after becoming one of their better hitters. While Dane Dunning has struggled lately, he is still good enough to shut down an ice-cold Mets offense.

As bad as New York’s season has been, they appear to have found an ace in Kodai Senga (10-7, 3.17 ERA). The Japanese star is in his rookie year in the MLB at 30 years old and looks as good as he did overseas. Senga has a 2.66 ERA since July 1, qualifying for a quality start in seven of his nine starts during that stretch. He has been incredibly effective at home (2.64 ERA) and during night games (2.87 ERA), signaling that he is in for another impressive start. 

How to Watch Rangers vs Mets

• What: Texas Rangers vs New York Mets 
• When: Wednesday, August 30 at 6:40 PM EST
• Where: Citi Field in New York, NY
• How to Watch: Bally Sports Southwest, SportsNet New York, MLB.tv