An interesting match at Target Field as the Rangers take on the Twins in the third game of a four-game series. The Twins are looking pretty comfortable in their division, while the Rangers are in a bit of a rough patch. Let's dive into the details.

MLB Betting Odds

The odds for this game opened at a virtual tie (pick 'em), and the predicted total line stands at 8. Both of these numbers have yet to see much movement in the initial betting activity.

Rangers-Twins Betting Preview

The Twins have had a strong start to this series, taking the first two games - 7-5 and 12-2. As favorites on the dime line at -115, they not only secured victories but also covered against the run line with attractive odds. Both games also went slightly above the predicted total runs of 8.5. With this win, the Twins have shown consistency, bagging 7 out of 11 games recently. Their current record of 67-62 puts them in a good spot, leading the AL Central by a solid six-game margin. On the other side, the Rangers are experiencing a rough patch with an eight-game losing streak. Despite this setback, their overall record of 72-56 has them sharing the lead in the AL West with the surging Seattle. Fun fact: This series marks the first meeting between these two teams this season. Last year, Texas took the season series 5-2 against Minnesota.

Saturday's Pitching Match-Up

Joe Ryan is stepping onto the mound for Minnesota after recovering from an injury. Prior to this, he faced a bit of a rough patch, going 0/5 on quality starts and conceding 23 runs over 23 1/3 innings. Despite this, the Twins have managed to secure a 12-10 record with Ryan this season. Max Scherzer, on the other hand, has a 3/4 record on quality starts since joining the Rangers from the Mets a month ago. In his first three starts for his new team, he displayed a strong performance, only allowing four runs and 11 hits over 20 innings. While his recent outing against Milwaukee was a bit challenging, we expect him to bounce back strongly. Scherzer's last encounter with Minnesota was way back in 2014, making this match-up a fresh one.

Splits With the Sticks

The Rangers have been batting at a solid .264 against right-handed pitchers this season, with an impressive on-base percentage of .332 and a strong slugging percentage of .454. However, they've faced some hurdles, scoring three runs or less in six out of their last eight games. Conversely, the Twins are slashing .244/.325/.427 against right-handed pitching.

The Bullpens

Minnesota's bullpen holds an ERA of 4.11 this season, along with a WHIP of 1.28 and a K/BB ratio of 2.51. For the Rangers, their bullpen has an ERA of 4.68, but a better WHIP of 1.23 and a K/BB ratio of 2.91.

MLB Betting Trends

When facing right-handed starters, the Rangers have won 49 out of 92 games, while the Twins have won 50 out of 97 games, including 38 wins at home.

Totals Report

For those who love predicting totals, the Rangers have leaned slightly towards the over, with 62 out of 119 games going that way. On the Twins' side, 62 out of their 123 games have gone under.