The AL West has been arguably the best division in baseball this year, but this is not the heavyweight battle it looked like at the beginning of the season. With just this last series left for the first half of the Texas Rangers schedule, the team sits in last place in the division with a 38-53 record. They’re currently 19 games out of first, tied with a Houston Astros team that is once again posturing for a top ten pick in next June’s MLB Draft. But the first half of the Los Angeles Angels schedule has gone been way better than expected. They’ve been the second best team in all of baseball, led by a stellar offense. Only the Oakland A’s have scored more runs this season. Rangers tickets are averaging $30.75 for the game for a discount of 49 percent from the season average on the secondary market.
7/10 LAA Hector Santiago vs. TEX Colby Lewis | Avg. Price: $20 | Get-in Price: $3
To help illustrate the injury issues the Rangers have faced this season, pitcher Colby Lewis is second on the team in WAR despite a 5.51 ERA and 4.04 FIP. That ranking comes almost exclusively due to the fact that Lewis is one of just two pitchers on the team to make at least ten starts this season. But Lewis hasn’t been as dreadful as his numbers might indicate. He has a respectable 2.77 K/BB ratio and, for a fly ball pitcher, has done a good job of keeping the ball in the park. He’s been hurt by an outrageously high BABIP of .392, which has led to batters hitting .329 against him. For those interested in attending the game, tickets are the cheapest of the series. The average price is just $20, and the get-in is $3.
7/11 LAA Garrett Richards vs. TEX Nick Tepesch | Avg. Price: $36 | Get-in Price: $5
Nick Tepesch doesn’t have a lot going for him. He doesn’t strike out a lot of batters, but walks more than average. And he’s a fly ball pitcher who allows too many home runs. He also has a 4.29 ERA despite having a favorable .268 BABIP. He’ll have his work cut out for him in this one with the 10-2 Garrett Richards taking the mound for the Angels. On a staff with Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson, Richards has easily been the team’s best starter. Texas Rangers vs Los Angeles Angels tickets are averaging $36 for the game with a $5 get-in price.
7/12 LAA TBD vs. TEX Miles Mikolas | Avg. Price: $37 | Get-in Price: $5
Prices go up just a bit for the third game of the series, but that doesn’t mean the tickets are expensive. The average price is $37 and the get-in price is $5, making this the most expensive game of the four. The Angels starter has yet to be officially announced, but the Rangers are sending Mile Mikolas to the mound. Mikolas has made the first two starts in his major league career this season, and the numbers haven’t been stellar. He’s yet to log a quality start, and gave up nine runs in less than four innings his last time out.
7/13 LAA Tyler Skaggs vs. TEX TBD | Avg. Price: $30 | Get-in Price: $2
The prices drop back down for the final game of the series with an average price of $30 and a get-in price of just $2. This time the Rangers don’t have a pitcher announced, while the Angels plan on sending Tyler Skaggs out for the start. Skaggs has been an underrated part of the Angels rotation, posting the second best WAR on the team, despite making only 14 starts. Only Matt Shoemaker has posted a lower walk rate than Skaggs, and he’s also proven to be the most prolific ground ball pitcher on the team.