Will Fried’s Game Tonight Spell Disaster for the Rangers?

Ever notice how baseball tends to slap you with a curveball just when you think you’ve got the season figured out? Yesterday’s Brewers game fizzled out because the starter got scratched—classic reminder that the sport’s unpredictability ain’t just on the field but in your betting slips too. Tonight, though, the Yankees and Rangers square off with both starters expected to take that mound, setting the stage for a much-needed clash. The Yankees stumbled hard against Miami—losing all three games and grappling with the void left by Aaron Judge’s absence. But here’s the kicker: Max Fried steps up, steady as ever, with Rangers hitters pretty much baffled by him over the years. On the flip, the Rangers are desperate for wins, trudging through a tough stretch and leaning on Patrick Corbin to hold the fort—remember, this guy was once the punchline for the worst contract, yet here he is, hanging in there. Sure, the Yankees have already blanketed the Rangers thrice this season, but rosters change, momentum shifts, and that’s exactly why tonight’s match has me pondering—can old habits outgun fresh wounds? For those of us strategizing on the sidelines, Fried’s arm and the Yankees’ grit look like the smarter bet through five innings. Want the full play-by-play? LEARN MORE.

Yankees vs. Rangers, 8:05 ET

I only put out one play yesterday for the diamond, but that game ended up not happening because the starting pitcher for the Brewers was scratched. I suppose you could’ve still played the game and got a victory as I recommended the Brewers run line, but if you played it with the listed starter having to start, your be would be voided. Always a great opportunity to remind people of that caveat. We should have better luck here as the Yankees take on the Rangers and I expect both starters listed to take the mound.

The Yankees had a tough weekend against the Miami Marlins – not a sentence that I would typically think about writing. However, they did. They lost all three games, and need to figure out some quick fixes without Aaron Judge in the lineup. Baseball isn’t supposed to be a game that has one player making that big of an impact, but he does. The bigger concern has to be that they allowed 13 runs to the Marlins, and nine of them came from guys making their Yankee debut after the trade deadline. I’m sure that it will be fine, but not exactly what they had in mind bringing the dudes over to the squad. We will worry a bit less about the bullpen today as Max Fried takes the mound. He has been reliable for the Yankees this season even if he hasn’t been quite as amazing as he was to start the year. Still, Fried is 9th overall in ERA with a 2.62 mark, and 10th in WHIP at 1.03. Rangers hitters have never seen Fried very well, batting just .167 against him for their careers in 42 total at-bats.Â

The Rangers missed a big opportunity this weekend, dropping three of four games to the Mariners. They were competitive in all of them, but they had their Ace going yesterday and he just couldn’t get the job done. Jacob deGrom was on the hill and he had back-to-back innings where he allowed two run homers with two outs after a two-out walk. That was very un-deGrom-like. The Rangers are hunting for a playoff spot and need all the wins they can get. This is a tough part of the schedule, having to face Seattle and now New York. One guy that has been surprisingly good and maybe can be a stopper for them is today’s starter, Patrick Corbin. Once known as the worst contract in baseball (maybe baseball history), Corbin is 6-7 with a 3.78 ERA, and a 1.27 WHIP. He has been good at home this year. In addition, he faced the Yankees once already this season, allowing three earned runs over five innings.Â

If you’re looking for bad news it is that the Yankees have already beaten the Rangers three times this season. This might not be a big deal, considering that it was earlier in the year and the rosters have changed. The bad news is that for as good as Corbin has been, the Yankees have the better arm on the mound. I think the best bet here is to take Fried and the Yankees through five on the run line.Â

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