MLB Playoffs 2011: Detroit Tigers vs. Texas Rangers Betting Preview

The Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers will continue their American League Championship Series Monday with Game 2 inside Rangers Ballpark in Arlington

Detroit Tigers at Texas Rangers

Detroit Tigers SP Max Scherzer will try and even the series Monday at Rangers Ballpark

Detroit lost the series opener by a 3-2 score Saturday and also saw another outfielder get injured in the process. The Tigers will be playing the remainder of the postseason without the services of Magglio Ordonez, who is bother by problems in his right ankle. “Just another obstacle,” commented Tigers catcher Alex Avila. The team was already playing without Delmon Young, who was acquired during the season from Minnesota, as he’s dealing with a left oblique injury. Last night’s rain out did work in favor of the Tigers, as their scheduled starter will now thrown on three days’ rest rather than two. Detroit is 8-1 in Scherzer’s last nine starts versus AL West opponents.

Tigers starting pitcher Max Scherzer allowed just a single run and four hits over 7 1/3 innings, as he started and pitched in relief in the team’s ALDS win over the New York Yankees. The right-hander finished the regular season with a 15-9 record and 4.43 ERA, issuing 56 walks and striking out 174 batters in 195 frames. Scherzer tallied a winning 7-5 mark and 5.23 ERA in 15 road outings, surrendering 18 home runs in 86 innings. In six career starts versus the Rangers, he has come away with a perfect 3-0 record and 3.41 ERA, including a no-decision effort that led the team to a 6-5 home win (6 IP, 2 ER).

Texas certainly has the upper hand due to the injuries on the other side of the diamond, but bettors need to realize that the team has been outscored 23-19 during the playoffs this year. The Rangers are certainly hoping that Michael Young can get things going headed into the rest of this series and potentially a World Series run, as he’ll enter tonight 2-for-18 in five postseason games this year. “I think this team is a bunch of forward thinkers,” stated Young. “We have tons of opportunities ahead of us.” Texas is 47-16 in its last 63 games as a favorite and 35-17 at home.

Rangers starting pitcher Derek Holland also appeared two times during the ALDS round, picking up a 8-6 home win over Tampa Bay in his starting appearance, while pitching 1 1/3 frames of shutout ball in relief. The left-hander was 16-5 with a 3.95 ERA in 32 regular-season starts, while posting an 8-2 record and 4.69 ERA in 16 outings at Rangers Ballpark. Holland has made just one career start versus the Tigers, throwing just four innings and allowing four runs (one earned).

Bettors will likely back the Tigers due to their 7-3 record as underdogs in the playoffs, while the Rangers are 1-4 in Holland’s last five tries during Game 3 of a series.