The Houston Astros (96-51) and Tampa Bay Rays (82-64) meet Monday at 6:40 p.m. ET to open a 3-game set at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. Let’s analyze Tipico Sportsbook‘s lines around the Astros vs. Rays odds with MLB picks and predictions.
Season series: First meeting; Houston went 4-2 against Tampa Bay last season.
The Astros are 7-1 over their last 8 games, and they are 19-6 with a tidy 2.32 ERA since Aug. 21. Houston is back on the road after a brief 4-game home stand; it is 8-1 over its last 9 games away from Minute Maid Park.
The Rays have hustled their way to a 10-7 mark in September. Every win and loss has been key, as Tampa Bay is in a race for an American League wild-card slot. The Rays will look to leverage every last remaining game at home where they are 16-3 over their last 19 efforts.
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Astros at Rays projected starters
RHP Luis Garcia vs. RHP Drew Rasmussen
Garcia (12-8, 4.04 ERA) has logged a 1.17 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9 and 9.2 K/9 through 140 1/3 IP across 25 starts.
- Has faced the Rays once in his career — last Sept. 29 — when he was peppered for 6 runs in 5 IP
- Has been marvelous on the road with a 3.06 ERA over 12 starts
Rasmussen (10-5, 2.77 ERA) makes his 26th start. He has a 1.07 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9 and 8.1 K/9 through 126 2/3 IP.
- Owns a 2.11 ERA over his last 7 starts
- Threw 5 scoreless innings in a game against Houston last season (Sept. 29)
Astros at Rays odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:25 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Astros +100 (bet $100 to win $100) | Rays -120 (bet $120 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Astros -1.5 (+175) | Rays +1.5 (-220)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -135 | U: +110)
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Astros at Rays picks and predictions
Prediction
Astros 5, Rays 2
Money line
Figure Rasmussen as being a bit too far over his skis with his surface ERA. He has some generous rates around the margins, and Houston can avoid getting too left-handed in its lineup, which plays into a Rasmussen advantage.
Houston has won 6 straight series openers.
TAKE THE ASTROS (+100).
Run line/Against the spread
Tampa Bay scored 5 runs in each of its games Saturday and Sunday, but an offensive slump is not too far in the rearview mirror: the Rays logged a mere .642 OPS from Sept. 7-16.
Peg Houston as having the slight back-of-the-bullpen rest advantage in Monday’s opener.
Consider HOUSTON -1.5 (+175) as a secondary betting option.
Over/Under
STEER CLEAR. The most leverage in this one is on the Houston sides.
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