Texas will try to be nasty hosts to their former ace pitcher on Thursday when the Los Angeles Angels pay a visit to Rangers Ballpark.
And they'll do so with their newest ace pitcher - Ryan Dempster - making his debut after Tuesday's deadline arrival from the Chicago Cubs.
For the Rangers, Dempster gets the ball, charged with keeping the Angels hitters off the base paths. He'll face C.J. Wilson, 9-7 on the year and a free agent signee by the Angels last winter.
View LA Angels vs Texas Odds and Stats.
Betting Line:
If you're backing the visitors in this one, you'll find the Angels listed as underdogs of +119 at sportsbooks such as Sportsbook. Total bettors saw the number open in the area of 9.5, depending on the book.
Power Rankings:
This game matches up the No. 2 (Rangers) and the No. 3 (Angels) teams in their respective leagues, according to our current MLB Power Rankings.
How They Match Up:
The game also pits Texas' No. 1-rated American League offense, averaging 5 runs per game, against a Angels defense that ranks No. 4 in the American League at 4.1 in runs allowed per game. The Rangers have averaged 9.6 hits per game so far, more than Angels batters have averaged on the year (9.2 hits per game).
Comparing defensive stats, Los Angeles owns the American League's No. 10-rated road mark, allowing 4.7 runs per game on the highway. Texas, on the other hand, rates No. 3 in scoring at home.
Last time out for Los Angeles, they were a 11-10 loser as they battled the Rangers on the road. Moneyline bettors who got the Rangers at -173 were rewarded, while the 21 combined runs moved the game OVER for totals bettors. The Angels got to extra innings, but lost when they got there against Texas on Wednesday; it was a 11-10 final at Rangers Ballpark in MLB wagering action.
Los Angeles Angels Trends:
When playing on Thursday are 5-5
Before playing Chi White Sox are 9-1
After playing Texas are 4-6
After a loss are 7-3
Texas Rangers Trends:
When playing on Thursday are 4-6
Before playing Kansas City are 6-4
After playing LA Angels are 5-5
After a win are 3-7
A few Angels at Rangers trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Angels' last 5 games when playing Texas
The total has gone OVER in 8 of LA Angels' last 10 games when playing on the road against Texas
The total has gone OVER in 14 of LA Angels' last 19 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Angels' last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Texas' last 15 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Texas' last 5 games when playing LA Angels
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Texas' last 10 games when playing at home against LA Angels
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Texas' last 22 games
Next up:
LA Angels at Chi White Sox, Friday, August 3
Texas at Kansas City, Friday, August 3
