Tommy Pham and the Tampa Bay Rays are heading west to face the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. ATTSN Southwest will showcase this AL showdown. The game is scheduled to get underway at 8:10 p.m. ET.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Houston Astros Odds
Bookmakers have Tampa Bay (+155) as the underdog to Houston (-165). You can play game’s total with current odds posted at -120 for over 8 runs and even money (+100) for under 8. There’s a runline of Rays +1.5 (-140) and Astros -1.5 (+120) for this matchup.
The Astros are 85-47 straight up (SU) and 70-62 against the spread (ATS). They’ve gained 0.8 units for moneyline bettors while earning 1.9 units ATS. Houston has covered the spread four times in its last seven games and the under has hit in three of those seven. The Rays are 76-56 SU and have gone 66-66 ATS. In total, the club has lost 5.4 units for moneyline bettors and 9.1 units ATS. Tampa Bay’s covered the spread only twice over its last seven games and the total has gone over in four of those seven.
Astros games have an over/under record of 58-69-5 in 2019. The Rays have an over/under record of 61-64-7.
Charlie Morton will get the nod for the visiting Rays. The right-handed Morton is 13-5 with a 2.85 ERA and 197 strikeouts. He’s 1-0 with eight strikeouts and a 3.60 ERA against Houston this year.
The Astros are putting the ball in the right hand of Justin Verlander (15-5, 2.77 ERA, 0.81 WHIP), who has 239 punchouts and 34 walks this season. Verlander is 1-0 with nine strikeouts and a 1.29 ERA in one start against Tampa Bay this year.
Tampa Bay’s pitching staff allowed 3.9 runs per game and its starters own a 3.43 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 10.28 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 3.74, along with a WHIP of 1.12 and a K/9 of 9.40.
The Rays offense has slashed .253/.327/.428 on its way to 4.6 runs scored per game this year, including 3.6 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 4.6 per game over the team’s last five contests (3-2 SU).
Tommy Pham and Austin Meadows continue to lead Tampa Bay’s hitters. Pham is slashing .269/.371/.454 with 19 home runs, 55 RBIs, 61 runs and 16 stolen bases, while Meadows is hitting .280 with 23 homers, 67 RBIs and 56 runs scored.
In the other dugout, Houston’s pitchers have allowed 4.0 runs per game overall in 2019. The team’s starters have a 3.65 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 3.74 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 9.7 K/9.
The Houston offense is putting up 5.5 runs per outing, including 4.9 per game over its last 10 games and 5.6 per game over its last five. The team has hit .286/.365/.509 over its last five contests and is 4-1 SU during that span.
Outfielder Michael Brantley and first baseman Yuli Gurriel have led the way for the Astros’ offense this year. Brantley is slashing .338/.398/.546 with 19 home runs, 80 RBIs and 80 runs scored, while Gurriel’s line sits at .308/.348/.550 with 26 homers, 91 RBIs and 72 runs.
The Rays have lost 5.0 units and are 38-44 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher this year. The over has cashed in 39 of those games, as opposed to 38 that’ve hit the under against righty starters. On the other hand, the Astros have lost 8.0 units and are 50-45 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over has hit in 45 of those games, as opposed to 47 which went under the total.
Rays vs. Astros Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Astros, ATS Winner – Rays, O/U – OVER
Betting Trends
- The over has cashed in four of Tampa Bay’s last seven games.
- The Astros have won seven of their last eight games SU.
- Tampa Bay has posted 18.8 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 23.0 over its last five.
- The Rays have hit nine home runs in their last 10 games, including six over their last five.
- The Rays have a team OPS of .754 this season and an OPS of .760 when facing right-handed pitchers. The Astros’ OPS stands at .841 overall and .814 versus righties.
