Xam’s Gem(s):
Astros/Twins Over 8 Runs -106
In both games of this series, the Astros and Twins have scored 8 runs or more. The Astros are sending Cristian Javier to the mound, who struggled this year. He pitched to a 4.56 ERA and a 5.17 ERA on the road. He also struggled towards the end of the year, pitching to a 5.52 ERA over his last 15 starts. The Twins are countering with Sonny Gray, who pitched well this year. However, the playoffs are simply a different beast. This Astros lineup is no joke, and the Twins have contributed offensively in this series as well, scoring 10 runs in Houston in the first two games.
Rangers Money Line -138
The Rangers may be the hottest team in the playoffs right now, starting off 4-0 with all of those wins on the road. Now, they have arguably their best healthy starter looking to pitch them into the ALCS in front of what will be a very rowdy crowd at Globe Life Field. Eovaldi has been a stud this year, pitching to a 3.63 ERA. He also has plenty of playoff experience, pitching to a 2.90 ERA in just under 50 innings. The Orioles are countering with Dean Kremer, who had an up and down year. He pitched to 4.12 ERA this year. Given it’s Kremer’s first playoff start and the Orioles are fighting for survival, it’s likely the leash on Kremer will be very short. All the pressure is on the road team with the less experienced starter tonight. That isn’t a recipe for success.