Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics Preview
Thursday’s matchup between the Athletics and Astros is set for 8:10 PM ET from Minute Maid Park in Houston. The Astros are currently on a four-game winning streak and are 18-25 overall, while the Athletics are +179 on the money line and 4th in the AL West.
The over/under line is currently at 8.5 runs, and tonight’s pitching matchup features Joey Estes for the Athletics and Cristian Javier for the Astros. Houston is the heavy favorite, with their money line odds sitting at -213.
Check out BetCoco for Houston Astros – Oakland Athletics odds
Houston Astros Trends and Key Stats
- The Athletics are 1-4 across their last five road games. They have gone 2-3 vs. the runline.
- On the opposing side, the Astros have a 3-2 (SU) record, along with a 3-2 record in their last five home contests.
- In their last ten games as the favorite, the Astros have a record of 7-3 straight-up, and have gone 5-5 against the runline.
- Looking back at their last ten games as the underdog, the Athletics have a 2-8 straight-up record and a 4-6 record vs. the runline.
Houston picked up a 3-0 win over the Athletics in the most recent game of this series. The Astros had a two-run lead after the first inning and added their final run in the 4th. As for the Athletics, they only had two hits and didn’t score a run in the game. Heading into the game, the Astros were favored at -248 on the money line.
Framber Valdez pitched well for the Astros in this one, going seven innings and striking out eight without giving up a run. He picked up a win in the game, while Seth Martinez got the save. Aaron Brooks had a rough outing for the Athletics, taking the loss.
Jeremy Pena was the only player in the game to have more than one hit. He scored one of the Astros’ three runs. Both Yordan Alvarez and Carlos Correa each drove in a run.
Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics Prediction
With an overall record of 19-26, the Athletics are 4th in the AL West, trailing the Mariners by 5.5 games. The Athletics have dropped four straight games, and this includes losing the first three games of their series vs. the Astros. So far, they are just 4-9 in AL West matchups this year.
At home, the Athletics are 10-13 this year, and they are 9-13 on the road. Oakland has really struggled as of late, as they are just 2-8 over their last 10 games. As the underdog, the Athletics are 15-25 this year and 4-1 when favored.
When the Athletics are on the road, they are 12-10 against the run line, but as the favorite, they are just 2-3. Their overall run line record is 24-21, and their average run differential is -1.0 runs per game. In their wins, they have outscored opponents by an average of 3.4 runs per game, while in their losses, they have been outscored by an average of 4.2 runs per game.
Today’s over/under line of 8.5 runs is right in line with the Athletics’ season average. Their games have averaged 8.5 runs per game, and their over/under record is 22-22. However, the under has hit in their last two games, and their games have gone under the line in 68.9% of their games this season.
Joey Estes and the Athletics are on the road to take on the Astros. Estes is coming off a win in his last start, as he went 5 innings and gave up just 1 earned run. He struck out 5 and gave up 2 hits.
As a team, the Athletics are batting just .220 this season, which is 22nd in the league. However, they do have the 3rd most home runs in the league and have been good at hitting home runs at home. Overall, they are averaging 3.8 runs per game, but that number jumps to 4.5 runs per game at home.
Abraham Toro and Brent Rooker have been two of the Athletics’ top hitters this season, with Toro batting .287 and Rooker right behind him at .288. Rooker’s 10 home runs are 4th in the league, and he also leads the team with 28 RBIs. Over his last 10 games, Toro has gone 15/45, while Rooker is 14/40 in that stretch.
The Astros are hosting the Athletics today with an overall record of 18-25, putting them 5.5 games behind the Mariners for the AL West lead. So far, they have gone 8-5 in divisional games. Houston has won four straight games, and this streak has come with them favored.
At home, the Astros are 10-12 this year compared to an 8-13 mark on the road. As the favorite, the Astros are 14-19 and 4-6 as the underdog. So far, their series record is 5-7-1, and they have gone 6-4 over their last 10 games.
When it comes to run line betting, the Astros have been a tough team to figure out this season. Their overall run line record is just 17-26, but they have been slightly better at home, going 9-13. They have been a slight underdog in most games, and their run line record as the underdog is 5-5. Their average run margin in winning games is +4.5, while it drops to -3.9 in losing games.
The Astros have had a high over/under line in most of their games this season, with 58.1% of their games having an O/U line higher than 8.5 runs. Their over/under record for the season is 16-25, and their games have averaged 9.3 runs per game. Their last two games have gone under the total, and their over/under record when the line is set at 8.5 runs is 4-7.
Cristian Javier will be making his second start of the season at home against the Athletics. In his first start of the season, he took the loss against the Tigers, going just 1 1/3 innings and giving up 7 runs. However, in his first start of the year, he went 7 innings and got the win vs. the Rangers.
Jeremy Peña has been swinging a hot bat of late for the Astros, going 13/35 in his last nine games, including one home run. Overall, he is batting .333 for the season and has four homers. Kyle Tucker has also been a key power bat for the Astros, as he leads the team with 13 homers and is 10th in the league in RBIs (29). Tucker has also gone deep four times in his last eight games.
As a team, the Astros are 2nd in batting average and are the league’s top home run-hitting team. Overall, they are averaging 4.5 runs per game, and they have been a better offensive team at home, where they are averaging 4.8 runs per contest.
Our prediction for today’s Athletics vs. Astros matchup is to take the Astros to win at home. However, with the money line payout for the Astros being -213, we recommend taking the over on the 8.5 run line, with the payout being -114.
Looking at today’s starting pitchers, we have Joey Estes going for the Athletics and Cristian Javier for the Astros. Javier is projected to finish with six strikeouts, which is the second-best among all starters today.
Offensively, we have the Astros finishing with 10 hits and the Athletics with eight. If you’re looking for a player prop bet, the Astros are projected to hit the most home runs in the league today.
Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics Betting Tips
- Take the Astros on the moneyline
- On the run line we like the Athletics (+1.5)
- Projecting a combined 9 runs, we like the over
Houston Astros Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Kendall Graveman | Out | Shoulder |
| Lance McCullers Jr. | Out | Arm |
| Luis Garcia | Out | Elbow |
| Chas McCormick | Out | Hamstring |
| Ronel Blanco | Out | Suspension |
| Bennett Sousa | Out | Shoulder |
| José Urquidy | Out | Forearm |
| Penn Murfee | Out | Elbow |
| Oliver Ortega | Out | Elbow |
Oakland Athletics Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Wood | Out | Shoulder |
| Scott Alexander | Out | Ribs |
| Trevor Gott | Out | Elbow |
| Sean Newcomb | Out | Knee |
| Aledmys Díaz | Out | Calf |
| Miguel Andujar | Out | Knee |
| Paul Blackburn | Out | Foot |
| Freddy Tarnok | Out | Hip |
| Luis Medina | Out | Knee |
| Darell Hernaiz | Out | Ankle |
| Joe Boyle | Out | Back |
| Ken Waldichuk | Out | Arm |
