Free Pick | MLB | Saturday | July 26

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#972 Texas Rangers (Rocker) -115 over Atlanta Braves (Holmes) 6:05 PM CT

Texas is making a charge in the AL playoff race with a 6-1 run after the All-Star Break. The Rangers wound up using seven pitchers yesterday in an 8-3 win to open this series but several of those outings were very brief and Texas was off Thursday as the bullpen remains in good shape. Texas is just six games out of the AL West lead and just a half-game out of a wild card position. The Rangers are now 32-20 at home as well, including an 8-1 record at home in July. Atlanta has been one of the biggest disappointments in baseball and the Braves are now 7-17 since June 25. Yesterday’s game was the first road game of the second half after losing a pair of home series after the All-Star Break and Atlanta will likely be considering trade options in the coming days with top relievers likely in play to be moved as well as position players including Marcell Ozuna or Sean Murphy. Atlanta was 1-10 with runners in scoring position last night as there were opportunities but in a game that stayed close Atlanta used four relievers from a bullpen that has a 7.83 ERA in the past 10 games. In contrast, Texas has some of the best relief pitching numbers in baseball in that span including a 1.93 ERA in the past 10 games. Texas has also crushed right-handed pitching out of the break including posting 6.1 runs per nine in the past 10 games. Grant Holmes has been a solid option for the Braves as a 29-year-old second year starter that had taken a long path to finally earning a consistent MLB opportunity. Holmes has a FIP well above his respectable 3.81 ERA and his 4.22 BB/9 is among the highest of regular NL starters. Holmes has enjoyed some good fortune with an over 80 percent strand rate and he has had much worse road results with a 5.19 ERA. Kumar Rocker has a 5.66 ERA in his first significant MLB opportunity, but Rocker has displayed good command and has excelled in his home starts with a 1.84 ERA in nearly 30 innings in Arlington. Rocker has allowed two or fewer runs while pitching at least five innings in five of his last six starts after some up-and-down results early in the season. Atlanta is just 18-32 in road games this season and all the momentum should remain with the Rangers in the second game of this series.