The baseball odds list the Rangers as favorites at -190 and the Athletics at +165 with an over/under of 9.

The two teams met earlier this month in Oakland. The Oakland Athletics, who were in the midst of a slump at the time, were able to take two out of three and appear to be back on track. The Rangers quickly rebounded and have won all four games since then to take the top spot in the AL West.

After spending most of the season on top of the division, Oakland (17-15, 4-8 away) endured a 1-6 slide that allowed Texas to sneak into first place. With help from an outstanding pitching staff, Oakland has done very well and is now just a game behind Texas. Oakland’s pitchers have posted a 2.40 over the last 5 games.

The Texas Rangers (18-14, 11-6 home) are 8-2 in their last ten games heading into Tuesday night’s contest (with their two losses coming against Oakland). They began the season slowly, at one point losing six in a row. Since then, they are 13-5 and have become a surprise of the AL.

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus heads into the game with a 10-game hitting streak and is batting .385 over the last ten games. Right fielder David Murphy had 4 doubles with a .471 batting average as Texas swept Kansas City in their most recent series.

Trevor Cahill (1-1, 5.40 ERA) will make the start for Oakland. He will be filling in for Brett Anderson, who is out with a strained forearm. The right hander earned his first win of the season last Wednesday against Texas. He pitched five innings and gave up one run. He is 4-1 with a 2.05 ERA in five starts against Texas.

Oakland will start Colby Lewis (3-1, 3.03 ERA). The right hander suffered his first loss of the season opposite Cahill Wednesday afternoon, giving up 3 runs in 6 innings. He was able to strike out 6, however, and has 44 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings against Oakland.

Oakland Athletics at Texas Rangers – MLB Betting Preview by MLB Baseball Previews

The MLB lines list the Braves at -165 and the Nationals at +145 with an over/under of 8.

Tuesday night’s loss was yet another display of the Atlanta Braves’ poor play on the road. They have now lost their last eight consecutive road games and are 3-11 overall away from Atlanta. The once proud franchise that won 11 consecutive NL East crowns from 1995 to 2005 (14 consecutive division titles overall) is currently in last place in the division.

A bright spot for the Braves has been the strong play of rookie Jason Heyward. The right fielder is off to a strong start, batting .289 with a 1.038 OPS (sixth in the NL) and 8 home runs (tied for fourth). He is 9 for 16 with four homers in his last five games.

The Washington Nationals are off to their best start since they first moved from Montreal in 2005. They are just a game out of first place in the NL East. They currently own a five game winning streak over the Braves. They have the game’s top closer in Matt Capps, who leads the majors with 11 saves.

Atlanta will try to avoid losing their ninth consecutive road game by giving the ball to Tommy Hanson (2-2, 2.17 ERA). The right hander has had good luck against the Nationals throughout his career, going 2-0 with a 2.28 ERA in four career starts against them. He has made it past the seventh inning in each start.

Washington counters with Luis Atilano (2-0, 2.25 ERA). It is his third major league start after spending eight years in the minor leagues. He won in each of his first two starts, lasting six innings in both and giving up a combined three runs and zero home runs in the process.

Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals – MLB Betting Preview by MLB Baseball Previews

The baseball odds list the Red Sox as heavy favorites at -185 and the Angels at +165 with an over/under of 9.5.

Despite losing four games in a row, the Los Angeles Angels (12-15, 4-6 away) are only 2.5 games out of first place in the AL West. The AL West is currently a log jam of mediocrity, with all four teams being separated by 2.5 games and with the Texas Rangers leading the division with a 14-12 record.

The 17 runs LA gave up Monday night contributed to a league-leading 138 earned runs given up by the pitching staff. Tuesday night’s starting pitcher, Ervin Santana (1-2, 4.59 ERA), will attempt to alter LA’s fortunes. The right hander struggled in his first two starts this season, giving up four home runs en route to an 0-2 record. He has fared much better since then. He has a 3.32 ERA in his last three starts and has lasted at least six innings in each. He is 0-2 with a 6.33 ERA in four regular season starts at Fenway.

With Monday night’s offensive outpouring, the Boston Red Sox (12-15, 6-8 home) were able to end a three-game skid. The 17 runs was a great site for Boston fans, as it represented 13 percent of their total runs this season. Left fielder Bill Hall and third basemen Adrian Beltre, both new acquisitions this season, hit their first home runs of the season Monday night. Former MVP second basemen Dustin Pedroia hit a three-run blast that capped off a seven-run sixth inning.

The Red Sox will start Jon Lester (1-2, 4.71 ERA). The left hander also had a slow start this season but appears back on track after pitching 12 2/3 scoreless innings and striking out 18 in his last two starts. He was especially impressive in his last start, in which he gave up 1 hit and struck out 11 in seven scoreless innings. He is 1-1 with a 7.78 ERA in four regular season starts against LA.

After a disappointing April that saw the Red Sox finish under .500, the Red Sox have played below expectations this season. They are currently 6.5 games out of first place in the hotly-contested AL East and will need more performances like Monday night’s to make the AL East a three-team race along with the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays.

Los Angeles Angels at Boston Red Sox – MLB Betting Preview by MLB Baseball Previews

The MLB odds heavily favor the Rays who pay -260 while the Royals pay +220. The over/under is 8.5.

After a remarkable 2008 season that led to a World Series appearance, the Tampa Bay Rays struggled coming out of the gate last year. Their 9-14 April put them in a hole they never fully got out of and they eventually missed the postseason. This year, however, Tampa Bay has not repeated that mistake and has already set a club record for April victories. With a 16-5 record (7-4 home), Tampa Bay has the best record in the majors.

Tampa has been the beneficiaries of exceptional pitching and offense. They are third in the AL in team ERA (3.34) and first in the AL in runs (131). Standout third basemen Evan Longoria has been great over the past 5 games, batting 9 for 20. Overall, he is hitting .325 with a .958 OPS.

The Kansas City Royals (8-13, 4-5 away) are tied with the Chicago White Sox for last place in the AL Central. Their offense has put up some good numbers, but they have struggled to translate that into runs. They currently lead the AL in hits and are third in OPS but are in 8th place for runs.

Matt Garza (3-1, 2.17 ERA), coming off of his first loss of the season, will start for Tampa Bay. He was exceptional in his first three starts, lasting 8 innings in each and giving up a combined two earned runs. His streak ended on April 22 against Toronto, however, when he gave up five earned runs in a five-inning loss. He will also be looking for his first win against the Royals, against whom he is 0-4 with a 4.21 ERA in six starts.

Luke Hochevar (2-0, 3.55 ERA) will start for the Royals. He is coming off of a 6 2/3 no decision against Minnesota in which he gave up eight hits and five runs. He is 0-1 with a 6.46 ERA in three starts against Tampa Bay.

Kansas City Royals at Tampa Bay Rays – MLB Betting Preview by MLB Baseball Previews

The MLB betting lines list the Astros at -120 and the Reds at +100 with a total of 9 runs.

The Houston Astros (8-11, 5-8 home) began the season on the wrong foot. They lost their first eight games by a combined score of 44-18. After putting together separate winning streaks of four and three, they have been climb to within 4.5 games of the first place St. Louis Cardinals. Their bats have heated up recently. Over the weekend, they swept the Pittsburgh Pirates while scoring 19 runs.

The Cincinnati Reds (9-11, 3-5 away) and starting pitcher Aaron Harang were able to cool of the Astros’ offense Tuesday night. The Astros were limited to 1 of 7 with runners in scoring position and struck out 11 times. It was a rare positive moment for Cincinnati’s pitching staff. With a 5.82 team ERA, Cincinnati is the second-worse in the NL. The Reds also have catcher Ryan Hanigan to thank for their win against the Astros. He went 2 for 3 with 3 RBI and is batting .483 this season. A win Wednesday night would give Cincinnati their second three-game win streak of the season.

The Astros will start Felipe Paulino (0-2, 5.94 ERA) who will be looking for his first win of the season. After going 3-11 in 2009, the right hander is off to a rough 2010. He has yet to make it longer than six innings. He is 1-3 with a 5.86 ERA against Cincinnati for his career, and he has lost his last three starts against them.

Cincinnati is starting Mike Leake (1-0, 3.92 ERA). The rookie got his first Major League win on April 22 against the LA Dodgers. Before Harang’s win Tuesday night, Leake was the only Reds starting pitcher to record a win. Cincinnati is hoping he can build off of Harang’s Tuesday night performance and set a higher standard for the Reds’ starting pitching.

The Astros are a half game behind the Reds in the NL Central. The two teams, along with the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers, are all very close together and will look to get closer to the division leading Cardinals.

Cincinnati Reds at Houston Astros – MLB Betting Preview by MLB Baseball Previews

The MLB betting odds list the White Sox at -115 and the Rays at -105 with an over/under of 8.

Tampa Bay will be starting right handed James Shields, who will be making his fourth start of the season. Shields (1-0, 4.50 ERA) earned his first decision of the season on April 17 by picking up a win against the Red Sox. He is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in his career against the White Sox.

Jake Peavy (0-0, 6.00 ERA) will be starting for the White Sox. The right hander, who won 19 games for San Diego in 2007, has yet to earn a decision in his first three starts this year. After failing to get past the fifth inning in his first two starts, he lasted 7 1/3 against Cleveland last Saturday. In his only start against Tampa Bay, he gave up two hits in seven innings in a 9-0 win.

The Chicago White Sox are still looking for their first series win. After putting a halt to the Rays’ seven-game win streak on Tuesday, Tampa Bay bounced back Wednesday night to pound Chicago 12-0. Chicago is currently in last place in the AL Central and has lost five of their last six games. They are third-to-last place in the AL in team OBP and are batting .198 at home.

Conversely, the Tampa Bay Rays have a lot to be excited about. They are only a half game behind the New York Yankees, and that mark is even more impressive considering the lengthy road trip the Rays have been on. Since April 12, Tampa Bay has played 9 games and won 8 of them, with each coming on the road. In that same time frame, New York has played in 8 games and won 7, with all but two games being played at home.

Tampa Bay Rays at Chicago White Sox – MLB Betting Preview by MLB Baseball Previews

The MLB lines list the Twins at -180 and the Indians at +160 with an over/under of 8.5.

After beating Cleveland Tuesday night, the Minnesota Twins can clinch the series with a win. They have yet to lose a series this season and this would be their fifth straight.

The Twins will start left-handed Francisco Liriano. After a rough 2009, he is off to a good start this season. He is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA and has pitched in at least six innings in both of his starts. In his most recent effort, he struck out eight batters in seven innings in an 8-0 win over the Boston Red Sox. He is 2-3 with a 5.02 ERA in six career starts against Cleveland.

David Huff (1-1, 1.80 ERA) will take the mound for the Cleveland Indians. The left hander was outstanding in his last start. The 25-year-old threw his first career complete game and allowed just four hits. He has won his last two consecutive starts against Minnesota, and owns a career 2-2 record against them with a 5.82 ERA.

Huff will hope for an improved effort from the Indian’s offense. Cleveland sits near the bottom of the league in team batting average (.214) and runs per game (3.5). They are even more inept on the road (.198 batting average) where they have lost four straight.

Twins catcher Joe Mauer, the 2009 AL MVP, has been successful against Huff. He is 6-12 with a double and a home run off of him. He has played very well this season, batting .347 with a .951 OPS.

Cleveland Indians at Minnesota Twins – MLB Betting Preview by MLB Baseball Previews

MLB betting odds list the Yankees at -160 and the Athletics at +140 with an over/under of  8.5.

New York (9-3, 4-2 away) has done a fabulous job of defending their ’09 World Series. They are coming into this series after winning seven of their last eight games.

The New York Yankees are in the top four in the AL in both total runs scored (69) and team ERA (3.63). They are, however, playing for a chance to lead their division, as the red hot Tampa Bay Rays lead them by a half game. The Rays will be playing the Chicago White Sox earlier in the evening.

Despite Oakland’s inferior record (9-5, 6-2 home), they are the division leaders in this game. They are ahead of the LA Angels and Seattle Mariners by two games. This will be one of Oakland’s first real tests, as New York is the first team they will face this year with a winning record.

Adding to the Oakland A’s challenges will be the return of Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. The star sat out Sunday’s game with a cold but is expected to return. In recent times he has had his way with the Athletics, going .463 with two home runs last season against them. He has gotten off to a great start as well, hitting safely in every game so far this year en route to a .380 average.

Javier Vasquez (0-2, 9.82 ERA) will be starting for the Yankees. The three-time 15 game winner has struggled so far this season, earning losses in each of his first two starts. His season debut, in which he gave up 8 earned runs and 2 home runs, was particularly dreadful. He showed signs of improvement in his last start and

New York is confident he will be ready to step it up.

One of Oakland’s biggest strengths is their pitching. Their 2.90 team ERA is best in the AL. Gio Gonzales, as Oakland’s Tuesday night starter, will seek to keep that ERA low. The left hander (1-0, 3.38 ERA) is making his first home start this season. He has started just one other time against New York, and he was able to give up just one run in 6 2/3 innings of work in a 6-4 victory.

Earlier in the evening, New York’s division rival Tampa Bay will be playing the Chicago White Sox. If the Rays lose and the Yankees win, New York will take sole possession of first place in the AL East.

New York Yankees at Oakland Athletics – MLB Betting Preview by MLB Baseball Previews

The Giants are -130 MLB odds favorites over the +110 Padres and the over/under is 7.

Matt Cain will start for the Giants. The right hander was excellent in the first half of the 2009 season, going 12-2 with a 2.27 ERA in his first 20 starts. His production declined substantially in his final 13 starts, in which he was 2-6 with a 3.84 ERA. He has started the 2010 season much the same way he ended 2009, with an 0-0 record and 4.26 ERA in two starts. He did show some signs of improvement in his last start, in which he retired eleven batters in a row before retiring in the sixth inning.

Clayton Richard will take the mound for the Padres. The left hander is 0-2 with a 4.38 ERA in his first two starts of the season. He will be hoping for increased production from his offense in this game, as they scored one run in his debut and no runs in his most recent start.

One Giant the Padres will need to pay particular attention to is centerfielder Scott Hairston. He has had success against San Francisco throughout his career, batting .271 against them with 11 home runs. First basemen Adrian Gonzales has been successful against Cain, with a .344 average and 2 home runs.

The San Francisco Giants have climbed their way to the top of the NL West division behind a formidable offense. That offense was lacking in Sunday afternoon’s loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. They only managed one run, wasting a strong effort from starting pitcher Barry Zito. Juan Uribe (2B), Pablo Sandoval (3B), Edgar Renteria (SS), and Aaron Rowand (CF) are all Giants with at least a .300 average with at least 40 at bats on the year.

The series will do a great deal to define each team’s role within the division. The San Diego Padres will use it as an opportunity to continue their winning streak and thus prove themselves a reasonable foe to the Giants for the NL West crown. The Giants will look to sweep the Padres and prove themselves early on that they are the ones to beat in the NL West.

San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres – MLB Betting Preview by MLB Baseball Previews

The Dodgers are -135 MLB money line favorites over the +115 Diamondbacks and the over/under is 7.5.

They are coming off of a grueling 11-inning game that went almost five hours. The game lasted well past midnight and caused the managers of both teams to use eight pitchers.

Los Angeles Dodgers third basemen Casey Blake hit a double in the bottom of the 9th inning that scored James Carroll, evening the score at 7. Neither team scored in the 10th inning. Arizona won the game in the eleventh when Chris Young hit a single with the bases loaded.

Hiroki Kuroda will be making the start for Los Angeles (3-5, 1-1 at home). The right hander was dominant in his first start earlier this season, throwing eight scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. It was a refreshing sight for Dodgers fans, as Kuroda struggled last season with injuries en route to an 8-7 record.

Dan Haren will be making his third start of the season for Arizona (5-3, 1-1 on the road). After a strong performance on opening day, Haren (1-1, 3.95 ERA) struggled in his last start. The right hander gave up six runs and two home runs in 6 2/3 innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 6-3 loss. In 2009, he went 1-1 with a 2.22 ERA in four starts against the Dodgers.

The key to this game will be longevity by the starting pitchers. Both teams exhausted their bullpens in last night’s marathon and will need strong performances from their starters.

Matt Kemp and Manny Ramirez will likely be the biggest headaches for Haren. The two outfielders have played very well in the series, with Kemp hitting home runs in both games and Ramirez batting 4-7 with three RBIs and one home run.

The Arizona Diamondbacks will hope for another strong game from shortstop Stephen Drew and right fielder Justin Upton. The two bat 2-3 in the lineup and combined bat 6-11 last night with a home run and a double for each.

Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers – MLB Betting Preview by MLB Baseball Previews