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With the All-Star break now done, teams are back in business for the second half of the 2024 MLB season. The defending champions Texas Rangers take on the Baltimore Orioles at Globe Life Field in a three-game series over the weekend in a repeat fixture of last year's American League Division Series.
Both teams have had opposite fortunes so far this year. The Orioles have raced to the top of the AL East and are locked in a see-saw battle with the New York Yankees for the division. However the Rangers find themselves only third in the AL West and five games behind the leaders Seattle Mariners. This makes the series further important for the home team looking to bounce back to contention.
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Orioles vs. Rangers: Game 1 Odds
Orioles vs. Rangers: Game 1 Where to Watch
The game will be played out in Arlington from 7.05 p.m. local time. It will be broadcast\ on MASN 2 and Bally Sports Southwest for Baltimore and Texas fans.
Orioles vs. Rangers: Game 1 Prediction
Despite the season record, the Rangers will be confident, as before the All-Star break they had a 7-3 run, and are currently on a three-game home win streak. The Orioles have exactly the opposite record in the last 10 games and are averaging .241 with the bat, a lot lower than their high standards.
The pitching matchup is particularly important for both sides as their aces are locked in to start. For Orioles, they have Corbin Burnes fresh from his American League All-Star start on Tuesday. Burnes is 9-4 with a 2.43 ERA this season. Opposing him will be Nathan Eovaldi who missed out on an All-Star cap but has a solid 1.29 ERA in last three starts.
Gunnar Henderson is the biggest at-bat in the Orioles' lineup and is batting 13-43 in the last 10 games. Corey Seager and Josh Smith are key figures in the Rangers lineup, with both batters averaging in excess of .264 during the same span of time.
It will be exciting to see if the Rangers can equal the score after the Orioles took a 3-1 season lead in the initial series between the two teams.
