Rangers Win Total Prediction
The Rangers will have a new ace in Corey Kluber when it opens Globe Life Field in 2020. That said, will the addition of Kluber, coupled with the return of the injured Joey Gallo lead to more wins for Texas this season?
Texas Rangers Win Total
According to oddsmakers from online sportsbook Sportsbook.com, the Rangers’ win total for 2020 has been set at 79.5. The over carries odds of 20/21 while the under has odds of 4/5.
Texas Rangers Offseason
The Rangers sent right-hander Emmanuel Clase and outfielder Delino DeShields to the Indians in exchange for Kluber, who missed nearly all of last season with a fractured arm. He later returned, only to miss more time due to an oblique injury. Kluber did, however, finish in the top three in the American League Cy Young voting in 2018 and is expected to be 100 percent healthy to start the season.
The Rangers also signed free agent right-hander Kyle Gibson to a three-year, $28 million contract that includes a possible $3 million more in bonuses. The former Twin struggled with consistency in 2010, but he was also battling ulcerative colitis. In addition to Kluber and Gibson, Texas signed third baseman/first baseman Todd Frazier of the Mets to a one-year, $5 million contract that includes a $5.75 million club option for 20201. Frazier wasn’t the team’s first choice, as the Rangers were interested in free agents Anthony Rendon (Angels) and Josh Donaldson (Twins), although the former Met isn’t a bad fallback option after he slugged 21 home runs in 134 total games last season.
Texas Rangers Win Total Prediction
The Rangers won 78 games a year ago and now have Kluber headlining a rotation that also features Mike Minor, Lance Lynn, Jordan Lyles and now Gibson. I’m not suggesting there aren’t question marks surrounding the group, but there’s little question they’ve improved. The offense, meanwhile, gets a boost from the return of a healthy Gallo and the addition of Frazier, who even at his age continues to provide pop to any lineup he graces. Shin-Soo Choo and Elvis Andrus are good table setters at the top of the lineup and Danny Santana, while impatient at times, crushes mistakes. I think this is a third-place team that reaches 80-82 wins.
2020 MLB Win Total Prediction: TEXAS RANGERS OVER 79.5 WINS