With the non-waiver trading deadline in the rear view mirror, it’s time to consider what the rest of the MLB season has in store. There are some teams, such as the Phillies and Marlins, who are way out of contention, while there are some others, such as the Cardinals and the Royals, who appear to have their October tickets punched already. However, there’s a lot of room in the middle for teams to move around. Here are some online betting predictions of what I think is going to happen.
Taking a Look at the MLB Midseason Online Betting Predictions
The Texas Rangers Surge Back For a Wild Card
The Rangers have played stretches of awful baseball this season – and they have played stretches of terrific ball as well. What’s their record? Right around .500, like you might expect. However, they are only five games behind Houston in the American League West, and less than two games out of the second wild card position in the American League. There are five teams bunched there right with them, but there are a couple of reasons for optimism in Arlington.
Tom Verducci is ranking traded starting pitchers by their potential impact this season http://t.co/yoZrhhUE0D pic.twitter.com/JMv5AaZBA9
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 4, 2015
First, the team just picked up Cole Hamels in a blockbuster deal with the Phillies. While the team did have to send three primo prospects east, they get control over one of baseball’s best pitchers for the next three seasons as a result. This was primarily a move for 2016 and beyond, but Hamels will energize the team now as well. Starting pitcher Derek Holland is set to return, and he is hitting the mid-90s with his fastball in rehab starts. If Holland can stay off the disabled list, that gives the team two plus starters. The offense seems to be waking up a bit, and if Martin Perez can keep showing the dominant stuff he showed against San Francisco in his second start after coming back from Tommy John surgery, that’s three plus starters – and that’s all you need in a short playoff series. Keep an eye on the Rangers.