Boston Red Sox vs Texas Rangers Picks and Prediction for Thursday, September 17, 2026

The Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers meet Thursday at Globe Life Field, with the opening pitch scheduled for 8:05 PM ET and the game televised on MLB.TV. Boston is 82-69, third in the AL East and 9.5 games behind Tampa Bay, with 11 games remaining. The Red Sox hold the second AL Wild Card position, 5.5 games ahead of Cleveland for the final spot. Texas is 75-76, second in the AL West and one game behind Houston, while sitting 1.5 games behind Cleveland in the Wild Card race with 11 games left. Texas beat Boston 4-2 in the most recent meeting. Let’s break down the matchup with our free MLB picks.

Boston Red Sox Trying to Get Back on Track

Boston has gone 2-3 across its last five games, with both victories coming against Kansas City. The Red Sox beat the Royals 5-1 and 4-1 before falling 4-2 to Texas in their latest result. Willson Contreras has been one of Boston’s strongest hitters, batting .275 with 26 home runs, 79 RBI and a .899 OPS. Wilyer Abreu has added 24 homers, 74 RBI and 36 doubles, while Caleb Durbin has 18 stolen bases.

The Red Sox rank ninth in MLB with a .248 team batting average and have scored 665 runs with 156 home runs. Boston has a .322 on-base percentage and .403 slugging percentage. Pitching has been a major strength, with the Red Sox ranking third in MLB at a 3.59 ERA. Boston also owns a 1.24 WHIP, .242 opponent batting average and 1,308 strikeouts. Those numbers have helped the Red Sox post a 44-32 road record.

Injuries: Ceddanne Rafaela (out), Tyron Guerrero (out), Tanner Houck (out), Curtis Mead (out), Johan Oviedo (out).

Texas Rangers Building a Late-Season Winning Streak

Texas has won three straight games, including the 4-2 victory over Boston and consecutive road wins over Arizona. The Rangers scored 17 runs during that three-game stretch after losing their previous two contests. Ezequiel Duran is batting .271 with 17 home runs, 80 RBI and a .772 OPS. Jake Burger has 26 home runs and a team-high 83 RBI, while Joc Pederson has also hit 26 homers and owns an .816 OPS.

Brandon Nimmo leads the Rangers with 146 hits and has 33 doubles, while Wyatt Langford has contributed 17 home runs and 13 stolen bases. The Rangers are batting .243 with a .317 on-base percentage and .399 slugging percentage. Texas has scored 628 runs while hitting 173 home runs, giving the lineup more home-run production than Boston. Texas ranks 22nd in MLB pitching with a 4.32 ERA, along with a 1.31 WHIP and .250 opponent batting average.

Injuries: Kyle Higashioka (out), Cole Winn (out), Peyton Gray (out), Carter Baumler (out), Jack Leiter (out).

Pitching Matchup

Boston Red Sox - Sonny Gray

Sonny Gray has put together a strong season for Boston, posting a 17-5 record with a 2.76 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across 156.2 innings. The right-hander has allowed 141 hits and 42 walks while recording 140 strikeouts. Gray has surrendered only 15 home runs over that workload. His ability to limit walks and long balls has helped him keep opponents from producing many big innings throughout the season.

Texas Rangers - Undecided

Texas had not yet announced its starting pitcher at the time this preview was written.

Boston Red Sox vs Texas Rangers Game Pick

• Boston Red Sox

Boston is the pick Thursday despite Texas winning three straight. The Red Sox have the clear advantage in overall pitching numbers, ranking third in MLB with a 3.59 ERA compared with Texas at 4.32. Gray also arrives with a 17-5 record, 2.76 ERA and only 15 home runs allowed across 156.2 innings. Texas has been playing better recently, but Boston’s 44-32 road record and stronger season-long pitching make the Red Sox the choice in this matchup.

Boston Red Sox vs Texas Rangers Over/Under Pick

• Under

Under is the pick with Gray putting together one of Boston’s best pitching seasons. The right-hander owns a 2.76 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, while Boston’s staff has posted a 3.59 ERA for the year. The Red Sox have also stayed below five runs in each of their last five games, and Texas scored four runs in the latest meeting. Boston’s stronger pitching numbers and the recent scoring totals from the Red Sox make a lower-scoring game the call.