We are now officially in the stretch run of the 2026 MLB regular season, as Sunday marked four weeks until the end of it. To that end, tonight starts a three-game home series for the playoff-hopeful Texas Rangers that they have no right not sweeping against a terrible Athletics club. We just have to hope the good version of Jacob deGrom shows up tonight for the 8:05 ET first pitch from Globe Life Field. Bet $5+ and get $200 in bonus bets when you bet on baseball at DraftKings:
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Frankly, at this point it benefits the Athletics (53-84) to lose as often as possible, because of course now MLB has a draft lottery, and the A's were just swept in three games at home over the weekend by Baltimore. The A's, Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies are all "battling" for the worst overall record in the league.
The teams finishing with the three worst regular-season records each receive identical 16.5% odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick, but those percentage often change due to CBA anti-tanking restrictions. The Rockies are +115 favorites to finish with the worst mark, the Angels +160 and Athletics +475.
The A's really started their "tank" weeks ago by starting to shut some key guys down due to injury like All-Star catcher Shea Langeliers (he might get back late, but why bother now?), shortstop Jacob Wilson, DH Brent Rooker, outfielder Tyler Soderstrom and outfielder/2025 AL Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz, among others.
The franchise has some really promising players, it just needs to get to its full-time home in Las Vegas in 2028 and then maybe penny-pinching ownership will actually start trying financially. One of those promising guys is rookie lefty Gage Jump, who is on the hill tonight.
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When Jump (6-8, 4.69 ERA) was called up in late May to make his debut, he was the No. 7 overall lefty pitching prospect in the sport. The 23-year-old has had typical ups-and-downs for a rookie but has been quite a bit better outside that minor-league ballpark in Sacramento with a 3.49 road ERA compared to 5.62 at home.
His lone start vs. Texas was at home on Aug. 14 and Jump allowed three runs over 5.1 innings of a no-decision. Jake Burger hit a three-run shot off him in the top of the sixth and that was the last batter Jump faced. He probably shouldn't have still been in there to face the lefty-mashing Burger, but I suppose A's manager Mark Kotsay knows better than I. The SportsLine Projection Model forecasts Jump for 5.7 innings, 5.9 strikeouts, 4.3 hits allowed and 1.8 earned runs tonight.
Athletics-Rangers MLB same-game parlay
- Texas no bat bottom 9
- Under 1.5 first-inning runs
DraftKings SGP price: +104 (subject to change)
Meanwhile, Texas (67-70) enters having lost four of five, albeit on the road to division leaders in the White Sox and Brewers and it did avoid a sweep Sunday in Milwaukee with a nice comeback win that could be a springboard. The only thing saving the Rangers' bacon in terms of possibly reaching the playoffs is that the AL is so weak overall. Texas is only two games out of first in the AL West and two out of the final wild card spot. The model gives it a 31.3% chance for extra baseball. Manager Skip Schumaker has called this point of the season "must go, must win."
I'd vote No for playoffs if deGrom (9-9, 4.21 ERA, minus-$192) can't figure things out. The two-time NL Cy Young winner is supposed to be the ace, the guy who stops losing streaks. But the 38-year-old has been wildly inconsistent. Two starts ago, he threw six shutout innings with 10 strikeouts in a home win over Washington. Last time out, he was rocked for eight runs and walked five in 3.2 innings at the White Sox. That is often how it goes, 1-2 good outings and then a terrible one.
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DeGrom has pitched much better in Arlington at 6-2 with a 2.67 ERA and .194 opponents' batting average. He has somehow missed the division rival Athletics in 2026 â was 3-0 with a 1.21 ERA against them last year -- and the model has him at 5.3 innings, 5.9 strikeouts, 4.8 hits allowed and 2.0 earned runs. All combined active Athletics batters who have faced deGrom are 2-for-23 with a solo homer and nine Ks.
I'm not going to get overly greedy on this parlay, as you can see, with two easy legs, and we'll know if we're halfway home by the end of an inning. The Rangers have 25 games left, and 16 of those are at Globe Life Field with this kicking off a seven-game homestand. It's go time for the playoffs, as Schumaker said. Check out other expert picks in the SportsLine daily newsletter.
