This article is part of our MLB Picks series.
MLB Bets Today: Expert Picks and Player Props for Rangers vs. Mets, Aug. 30
Texas Rangers 
vs. New York Mets 
The Rangers have been sliding backward in the AL West standings, but they are still a wildly talented baseball team. The Rangers have hit a late-season skid, and now it appears the sportsbooks have softened their lines on them.
Texas is just 3-7 in its last 10 games, but with a run differential of +174, the third-best mark in the MLB, it may be time to jump back on the Rangers' bandwagon.
Since Aug. 18, Texas was swept in a three-game series against the NL Central-leading Brewers. It then dropped both games of a quick two-game series against the Diamondbacks, then lost three of four against the AL Central-leading Twins. That's a tough stretch against respectable teams.
The Mets may be the medicine needed to heal these ailing Rangers. Now the Rangers will go for a sweep on Wednesday.
Dane Dunning (9-6, 3.36 ERA) will be on the bump for Texas, and Dunning has arguably been the Rangers' most consistent starter in 2023. With the often-injured Nathan Eovaldi once again on the IL and the up-and-down performances continuing from Jon Gray and Andrew Heaney, it's hard to argue against Dunning's consistency.
Sure, Dunning allowed a season-high six walks in his latest outing against the Minnesota Twins, but that appears more like an unsightly blip than a sign of things to come. We're talking about a pitcher who allowed a total of five walks in all of April and only six more walks total in the month of May. Although Dunning may not record high strikeout totals, he does keep the ball over the plate.
The Mets will send Denyi Reyes (0-2, 7.50) to the hill, and things could get ugly quick for the Metropolitans.
Reyes struggled in his last outing in the big leagues, going 4.2 innings while allowing eight hits, four walks and five runs. It was the first game of a doubleheader, and despite the damage he allowed, manger Buck Showalter left him out there to take his bruises to preserve arms in the bullpen for the second game. It's understandable, just tough to watch.
The Mets lost the first game of that doubleheader, 21-3. Ouch.
Reyes hasn't compiled great numbers in the minor leagues either, producing an ERA of 5.80 in 76 innings with Triple-A Syracuse.
Texas will be scoring plenty of runs in this game.
A few bats have gone cold for the Rangers lately, most notably Marcus Semien and Adolis Garcia. Semien, typically in the leadoff spot, has struggled setting the table for this high-powered offense, batting just .246 (16-for-65) in his last 15 games. Semien has been a run-scoring machine for Texas, scoring 98 runs so far this season, trailing only Shohei Ohtani (100) in the American League.
When Semien fails to reach base, Garcia obviously has fewer opportunities to drive in runs from the cleanup spot. Garcia's 95 RBI are also second in the American League, only Houston's Kyle Tucker (97) has more. But in his last 15 games, Garcia has batted a measly .164 (10-for-61).
With such a beatable pitcher taking the mound, I'll give these two sluggers the benefit of the doubt on Wednesday.
Texas may have the best one through four hitters to start a lineup in the entire MLB. Typically batting between Semien and Garcia, in the two and three spots, are Corey Seager and Nathaniel Lowe.
The DraftKings Massachusetts promo code gets new customers $150 in bonus bets. RotoWire has the latest Massachusetts sports betting promos with generous offers across a wide variety of Massachusetts sportsbooks.
Much like Dunning, Seager and Lowe have shown consistency all season long. Even as the team goes into a downward slide, these two just keep on hitting.
Over the last seven games, Seager is batting .345 (10-for-29), a mark that is on par with his season average. And Lowe is hitting .357 (10-for 28) in the last seven games and has batted .310 since the All-Star break.
The Rangers have been a model of consistency, which makes this recent skid so baffling.
This matchup is too good to ignore. I am going to pepper my betting slip with Texas on Wednesday.
MLB Best Bets for Rangers vs. Mets
- Rangers -1.5 (+108 FanDuel)
- Rangers OVER 4.5 Runs (-138 FanDuel)
- Corey Seager 2+ Hits (+130 FanDuel)
- Corey Seager 1+ RBI (+100 FanDuel)
- Nathaniel Lowe 2+ Hits (+180 FanDuel)
- Nathaniel Lowe 1+ RBI (+130 FanDuel)
