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Diamondbacks vs. Rangers Prediction, Picks & Odds: World Series Game 2

Mike Spector

Last Updated: October 28, 2023 4:15 PM EDT • 4 min 4 sec read.

Corey Seager of the Texas Rangers celebrates after hitting a home run in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game 1 of the World Series, and we offer our top World Series odds.
Corey Seager of the Texas Rangers celebrates after hitting a home run in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game 1 of the World Series. Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images via AFP.

It’ll be difficult to top the Game 1 drama between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers, as we share our best Diamondbacks vs. Rangers prediction for Game 2 based on the MLB odds from our best sports betting apps.

In a dramatic Game 1 of the World Series, the Texas Rangers earned a 6-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in 11 innings, marking the sole extra-inning contest of the entire postseason. The Rangers achieved a notable feat by becoming the first team in eight seasons to secure a World Series win after trailing by two or more runs in the ninth inning, while the usually reliable Diamondbacks closer, Paul Sewald, experienced his first blown save in seven opportunities during the 2023 postseason.

Texas now boasts an 8-0 record when scoring the first run this postseason after climbing out to a 2-0 first-inning lead. The Rangers also improved to 2-3 at home during the 2023 playoffs (they're an amazing 8-0 on the road), while Arizona has lost three of its last five road playoff games after beginning this postseason with four consecutive road wins.

Here is our best Diamondbacks-Rangers prediction for Game 2 of the World Series (odds via our best MLB betting sites; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Diamondbacks vs. Rangers prediction: World Series Game 2

Rangers -1.5 (+130 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐

Arizona entered Game 1 with a .692 winning percentage in October, trumping its next-highest month (.630 in May) by 62 percentage points. Thus, while we have yet to write off its chances to win the series, it will be difficult for Arizona to overcome the sting of how it lost Game 1. The team is also facing its worst-hitting split while opposing Rangers southpaw Jordan Montgomery.

The Diamondbacks ranked 23rd in wRC+ (92), 23rd in BABIP (.292), 21st in OPS (.710), and ninth in BB/K rate against left-handed pitching during the regular season. Those numbers improved to 17th in wRC+ (99), 15th in BABIP (.293), 14th in OPS (.737), and third in BB/K rate against righties.

Conversely, Diamondbacks righty Merrill Kelly posted his lowest ERA (3.29) in a full season (excluding 2020), but he also registered the second-biggest difference in his xERA, which was a more concerning 4.13. He produced career worsts in walk rate (9.4%) and hard-hit percentage (41.8%) while only ranking slightly above average (58th percentile) in whiff percentage. That's dangerous when facing a Rangers lineup that ranked fifth in BABIP against right-handed pitchers in 2023 and was the AL’s best club in slugging, OPS, wOBA, and wRC+ at home against righties.

This would be a more confident four-star play if Arizona wasn't seven games over .500 (28-21) against left-handed starters during the regular season, as opposed to 56-57 against righties. However, many forget Texas was in first place for 150 days in arguably MLB's most competitive division during the regular season, and the team only fell from that perch late because of a stretch when it lost 16 of 20 games. 

The Rangers only lost a chance at the AL West title on the final day of the regular season, so they're not as much of an underdog story as the 84-win Diamondbacks, which were the third-fewest from a pennant winner. We therefore expect Texas to double down on its comeback victory in Game 1, especially since it went 28-16 (.622, 33% ROI) against the run line after a home win in 2023, MLB's best mark, according to Inside Edge.

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Diamondbacks vs. Rangers best odds

bet365 (+130)

DraftKingsFanDuelBetMGMCaesarsbet365
-1.5-1.5-1.5-1.5-1.5
+124+126+125+118+130

There's a significant $12 difference in the run line odds between Caesars and bet365, which makes the latter our go-to shop as Rangers backers.

The 6-5 loss on Friday night was Arizona’s only one-run defeat this postseason, as it was out-scored 21-4 in its other three playoff losses. However, the Diamondbacks will garner their share of betting attention, as Texas has failed to cover the run line in nine consecutive games against National League opponents (3-6 straight up during that span).

Diamondbacks vs. Rangers odds

Diamondbacks vs. Rangers odds analysis

BetRivers is alone among our best sportsbooks with Texas at lower than -160 moneyline odds. BetMGM and bet365 offer the Rangers at -160, while FanDuel and Caesars are on the high end at -164. All line movement thus far has gone in Arizona’s favor, as BetMGM lowered from -165 to -160, DraftKings went from -166 to -162, and bet365 fell from -165 to -160. Early betting splits are 2/1 (67/33) in favor of Texas. The Diamondbacks are 0-5 across their last five games against American League teams.

All of our best sports betting sites are in unison with the total at 8.5 runs, and each shop is juicing it to at least -115 to back the Over, with bet365 the lone shop at -120. Currently, 59% of the early wagers have been placed on the Over, which has cashed in six of Texas’s last seven home games.    

Diamondbacks vs. Rangers game info: World Series Game 2

  • When: Saturday, Oct. 28 at 8:03 p.m. ET
  • Where: Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
  • How to watch: FOX
  • Weather: Indoors

Diamondbacks-Rangers pick made 10/28/2023 at 6:51 a.m. ET.

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Written By:
Mike Spector
I have been in the sports writing industry for over three years, working for sites like BettingPros/FantasyPros, Oddschecker, and Sportsbook Review. In my first year writing for BettingPros, I finished with the #2 overall record in their annual NFL betting competition, which made picks against the spread, and from an over/under and moneyline perspective. I am an avid fan of the NFL, MLB, and all college sports. In my opinion, March Madness is the best sporting event there is, and I am especially euphoric starting with conference tournament time in college basketball. I am a big advocate of "fading the public" and making plays that are contrarian, constantly citing that "there are reasons why they have those big shiny buildings in Las Vegas." Follow me on Twitter for my best bets and commentary to go along with the wagers.