Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays Preview
From Minute Maid Park in Houston, we have an AL matchup between the Rays and Astros. First pitch for this one is set for 7:15 PM ET, and FOX is carrying it on TV. The Astros are the heavy favorites on the money line, with their odds sitting at -155 compared to the Rays at +131. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs.
Both teams will be looking to keep their winning streaks alive, as the Astros have won two straight, and the Rays have also won two in a row. Ronel Blanco is starting for the Astros, while the Rays are going with Zack Littell. In the AL East, the Rays are 4th, while the Astros are leading the AL West.
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Houston Astros vs. Tampa Bay Rays Trends and Key Stats
- Over the course of their previous five away games, the Rays have recorded a 2-3 record, with a 3-2 performance on the runline.
- On the opposing side, the Astros have a 2-3 (SU) record, along with a 2-3 record in their last five home contests.
- Over their last ten games when playing as the favorite, the Astros have won 5-5 straight-up, and have a 2-8 record vs. the runline.
- Looking back at their last ten games as the underdog, the Rays have a 5-5 straight-up record and a 7-3 record vs. the runline.
Houston picked up a 3-2 win over the Rays in the most recent game of this series. The Astros had a late rally, scoring one run in the 7th and another in the 8th to pick up the win. Heading into the game, the Astros were favored at -160 on the money line.
Yusei Kikuchi got the start for the Astros, going just 5 2/3 innings while giving up two runs and striking out 11. Bryan Abreu got the win out of the bullpen, and Josh Hader got the save. Kevin Kelly took the loss for the Rays out of the bullpen.
At the plate, the Astros were led by Yainer Diaz, Jeremy Pena, and Jon Singleton, as each player had two hits and an RBI. Alex Bregman also had a two-hit game for Houston. Dylan Carlson was the only Rays hitter to have more than one hit, going 1/3 with a home run.
Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction
The Rays are 55-54 overall, putting them 4th in the AL East, nine games behind the Orioles for the division lead. So far, they have gone just 16-21 in divisional games. They are also on a two-game losing streak, which includes dropping the series opener vs. the Astros.
At home, the Rays are 30-29 this year compared to 25-25 on the road. As the favorite, Tampa Bay has gone 30-27 and 25-27 as the underdog. Tampa Bay’s overall series record is 19-12-4, and they are 5-5 over their last 10 games.
The Rays are currently on a two-game run line win streak on the road and have covered the run line in five straight games as the underdog. They have a run line record of 30-20 on the road this season and have an average run margin of -0.4 runs per game away from home.
When the Tampa Bay Rays play on the road, the over/under line is set at 8 runs. The Rays and their opponents have combined to average 8.4 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 52-52 overall. When the over/under line is set at 8 runs, the Rays have gone 13-15-1 in those games. This season, 41 of their games have had over/under lines set above 8 runs, accounting for 37.6% of their games, while 39 games have had lines set below 8 runs, making up 35.8% of their games.
Zack Littell gets the start for the Rays today as he faces the Astros on the road. He has made 21 starts this season and has a record of 4-7 with an ERA of 4.18. Littell’s WHIP for the season is 1.35, and opponents have a batting average of .283 off him this year. In his last outing, Littell pitched well, going seven innings and picking up the win. He didn’t give up a run in the outing and only allowed three hits. Before that, he had given up at least two homers in three straight starts. So far, he has allowed 17 homers.
Heading into today’s game, Yandy Diaz is on a three-game hitting streak and is leading the Rays in batting average at .274. He also has nine homers and 49 RBIs, which is the 2nd best mark on the team. Christopher Morel is the team’s leader in RBIs, but is batting just .199 for the season. Morel has gone deep 20 times this season, which is 13th in the league.
As a team, the Rays are averaging just 4 runs per game, which is 27th in the league. Their team batting average of .234 is 18th in the league. Over his last 10 games, Brandon Lowe has gone 11/34 with two homers and seven RBIs.
The Astros are currently 1st in the AL West, sharing the division lead with the Mariners. Houston is 57-52 overall and have won two straight games, with their most recent win coming in the first game of this series vs. the Rays. So far, they have gone 19-17 in divisional matchups.
At home, the Astros are 32-24 this season and 25-28 on the road. As the favorite, Houston is 43-37 and 14-15 as the underdog. The Astros have an overall series record of 19-15-1 this year.
When it comes to the run line, the Astros have been a tough team to predict this season. They are just one game over .500 at 54-55, and their average run margin is +0.4 runs per game. They have been slightly better at covering the run line at home, where they are 27-29, compared to 27-26 on the road. As the favorite, they are just 36-44 against the run line, while they are 18-11 as the underdog. In their wins, they have an average run margin of +3.8, while in their losses, it is -3.3.
The Astros are at home today against the Rays, and the over/under line is set at 8 runs. Houston’s games have averaged 8.8 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 44-61. The average over/under line for their games is 9 runs, and when the line is set at 8 runs, their record is 7-10-2. Overall, 62.4% of their games have had over/under lines set higher than 8 runs.
Houston is sending Ronel Blanco to the mound today vs. the Rays, and he has made 20 starts this season. Blanco’s record is 9-5, and he has an ERA of 2.95. So far, he has pitched one complete game shutout and has turned in 11 quality starts. Blanco’s WHIP for the season is 1.00, and opponents are batting .175 off him this year. In his last outing, Blanco finished with a no-decision, giving up four earned runs in 4 1/3 innings of work. Before that, he had lost three straight starts.
Yainer Diaz has been on a tear for the Astros of late, going 10/20 in his last five games with two home runs. For the season, he is batting .300 with 10 homers, which is 5th in the league. Yordan Alvarez has also been a big power threat for the Astros, as his 20 homers are the most on the team and 13th in the MLB. He is also 2nd on the team with 55 RBIs.
As a team, the Astros are 12th in the league in runs scored at 4.6 per game. They have been a better offensive team at home, averaging 4.9 runs per game. Overall, they are 2nd in the league in batting average and have the 3rd fewest strikeouts in the league.
Our prediction for today’s Rays vs. Astros game is to take the Astros on the money line, with the payout sitting at -155. We have the Astros winning this one by a score of 5-4.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Zack Littell is projected to finish with five strikeouts, which is right in the middle of the league. As for Ronel Blanco, he is also projected to finish with five K’s.
Houston Astros vs Tampa Bay Rays Betting Tips
- Take the Astros on the moneyline
- On the run line we like the Rays (+1.5)
- Projecting a combined 9 runs, we like the over
Houston Astros Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Justin Verlander | Out | Neck |
| Kendall Graveman | Out | Shoulder |
| Lance McCullers Jr. | Out | Forearm |
| Kyle Tucker | Out | Shin |
| Cristian Javier | Out | Elbow |
| Luis Garcia | Out | Elbow |
| Bennett Sousa | Out | Shoulder |
| José Urquidy | Out | Elbow |
| Penn Murfee | Out | Elbow |
| Oliver Ortega | Out | Elbow |
Tampa Bay Rays Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Wander Franco | Out | Personal |
| Drew Rasmussen | Out | Arm |
| Richard Lovelady | Out | Forearm |
| Shane McClanahan | Out | Elbow |
| Richie Palacios | Out | Knee |
| Jacob Waguespack | Out | Shoulder |
| Ryan Pepiot | Out | Knee |
