The Texas Rangers return home to Arlington, Texas Friday night for a 10-game homestand and have the pleasure of starting RHP Kevin Millwood (2-3, 4.88 ERA) for the first time since coming off the disabled list. The first opponent up for the Rangers are the Oakland Athletics who will try to get a win behind the arm of RHP Justin Duchscherer (4-3, 4.88 ERA).
Oddsmakers at SportsBetting.com currently have the Athletics listed as 108-moneyline favorites versus the Rangers, while the game's total is sitting at 9½.
Duchscherer tossed the best game of his career in his last start against the Red Sox, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning before David Ortiz broke it up with a one-out single. That was the only hit allowed by Duchscherer, though, and the second of only two baserunners on the night in a 3-0 combined one-hit shutout with closer Huston Street. After throwing 101 pitches, Duchscherer left the game after a career-high eight innings. This will be his first career start against Texas, a team against which he has a career 3-1 record as a relief pitcher. Duchscherer was 0-1 versus the Rangers last year, allowing three runs on two hits through just 2/3 of an inning.
Millwood was cleared to return off the disabled list after throwing 65 pitches in a simulated game at Progressive Field on Saturday. Millwood has been sidelined for two weeks with a strained right groin muscle. He is 1-1 with a 7.67 ERA in his last six starts. His last start was against the Athletics but had to come out in the first inning after injuring himself. He is 3-3 with a 4.29 ERA in 11 career starts against the Athletics.
The A's were shut out 12-0 by the Blue Jays as a -130 favorite last time out. The game's 12 runs made it OVER the posted over/under (7.5).
Emil Brown had two hits for the A's, while Dana Eveland gave up seven runs off 11 hits over 4 1-3 innings in the loss.
The Rangers dropped the rubber match 5-3 to the Rays as a +140 underdog on Wednesday. The eight runs fell UNDER the game's posted over/under (9.5).
Milton Bradley drove in two runs for the Rangers. Kason Gabbard surrendered all five runs in the loss.
Point-Spreads.com MLB Picks: A's -108 ML
