The Houston Astros will be taking the field against their division rival Texas Rangers in a Sunday day game. ATTSN Southwest is in line to televise the action and the game is scheduled to get underway at 3:05 p.m. ET.
Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers Odds
Texas (+190) is the huge home-team underdog to Houston (-210) and Vegas has set the Over/Under for this day game at 10.5 runs. Odds for betting on the game’s total currently stand at -125 for the over and +105 for the under. Bettors can also wager on the game’s spread with the runline odds coming in at Astros -1.5 runs (-145) and Rangers +1.5 runs (+125).
Each team has been kind to bettors this year this year. The Rangers are 11-8 straight up (SU) and 11-7 against the spread (ATS). They’ve gained 5.8 units for moneyline bettors and 1.8 units ATS. Texas has covered the spread four times in its last seven games and the under has hit in four of those seven. The Astros are 13-7 SU and have gone 9-10 against the spread. Overall, the team’s accumulated 4.0 units for moneyline gamblers in the season’s early going, but have lost 0.8 units ATS. Houston has covered the spread six times in its last seven games and the total has gone under in four of those seven.
Texas games have an over/under record of 9-9 so far in 2019. Astros games have gone under 13 times, gone over six times and pushed on zero instances.
Right-hander Collin McHugh is the projected starter for the visiting Astros. McHugh is 3-1 with a 1.96 ERA and 27 strikeouts. He has yet to face the Rangers this year and did not record a start against them in 2018, either.
The Rangers will put the ball in the right hand of Shelby Miller (0-1, 9.00 ERA), who has three strikeouts and 11 walks this season as well as a 2.70 WHIP. Miller is 0-0 with two strikeouts and a 4.91 ERA in one start against Houston this year.
Texas’ pitchers have given up 5.1 runs per game overall in 2019 as a unit. The club’s starters have a 5.61 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 4.60 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 7.1 K/9. In 14 games against AL West foes, Rangers starters have an ERA of 5.21 and the bullpen’s ERA is 3.61.
The Texas hitters are putting up 5.5 runs per outing, including 5.2 per game against divisional foes and 6.6 per game over their last five. The team has slashed .265/.353/.500 over its last five games and is 4-1 SU during that stretch.
Elvis Andrus and Shin-soo Choo have led the Rangers’ batters this year. Andrus is hitting .355/.395/.553 with three home runs, 13 RBIs and 10 runs scored, and Choo’s line is .317/.419/.556 with 20 hits, eight RBIs and 11 runs scored.
In the other dugout, Houston’s pitchers have allowed 3.4 runs per game and its starters own a 3.58 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 9.96 K/9. The bullpen has an outstanding ERA of just 2.51, along with a WHIP of 1.04 and a K/9 of 10.36.
The Astros offense has slashed .274/.351/.470 on its way to 4.4 runs scored per game in 2019, including 4.7 runs per game against divisional foes and 4.8 per game over the team’s last five outings (3-2 SU).
Houston’s hitters have been paced by Jose Altuve and Michael Brantley, who’ve collectively belted 10 home runs. Altuve is slashing .296/.341/.617 with eight home runs, 16 RBIs and 13 runs scored. Brantley is hitting .307/.373/.453 with two homers, 12 RBIs and nine runs scored.
The Astros have gained 0.2 units and are 5-7 ATS when facing a righty starter this season. The over has cashed in four of those games, compared to eight that’ve gone under in such games. On the other hand, the Rangers have netted 3.9 units and are 8-5 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over’s hit in six of those games, as opposed to seven that’ve cashed the under.
Astros at Rangers Free MLB Tip
Predictions: SU Winner – Astros, ATS Winner – Astros, O/U – OVER
Betting Trends
- The under has hit in four of Houston’s last seven games.
- The Astros have a total OPS of .822 this season and an OPS of .772 against right-handed pitchers. The Rangers’ OPS sits at .779 overall and .803 versus righties.
- The Rangers have won five of their last six games SU.
- Houston has posted 25.1 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 21.6 over its last five.
- The Astros have hit 18 home runs in their last 10 games. The Rangers have hit 13 over their last 10.
