Brewers vs. Rangers prediction and odds for Friday, Aug. 18 (Fade Woodruff against Texas offense)

The Texas Rangers look to keep pace in the AL West race by welcoming in a first place team in the NL Central leading Milwaukee Brewers.

The Brewers are still hoping to lock down its playoff rotation, and will hope Brandon Woodruff can continue to return to injury by passing each test. Woodruff has made two starts since hitting the IL in April, and has only allowed four earned runs in over 11 innings.

However, he faces a stiff test against the Rangers elite offense, how should we handicap this series opener?

First, the odds:

Woodruff has had a few warm ups against the White Sox and Pirates, but this will be his first real test since returning from injury, facing a Rangers lineup that is top three in most key hitting stats and comes in scorching at the plate, fourth in OPS over the last 30 days, per MLB.com.

While Andrew Heaney doesn't have eye popping stats, he has carved out a decent role as a back-end rotation arm for the Rangers this regular season, He has a 4.17 ERA in 23 starts for Texas while punching out nearly 10 batters per nine innings.

Heaney has been rock solid this season, and draws a favorable matchup against the Brewers, who are 24th in OPS against left handed pitching. I exepct Heaney to be on point against a middling to poor Milwaukee lineup.

With Woodruff still unproven this season (only four total starts), give me the better team at home.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.