The Houston Astros (26-19) face AL West rival Texas Rangers (20-27) Saturday in Game 2 of their three-game set at Globe Life Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook‘s lines around the Astros vs. Rangers odds with MLB picks and predictions.
Texas took Game 1 of the series 7-5 in extra innings thanks to a 3-run walk-off home run by CF Adolis Garcia in the bottom of the 10th.
The win snapped a three-game losing skid for the Rangers, who’ve lost eight of their last 10. which includes a sweep by the Astros in their four-game series last weekend. Conversely, Houston is 8-2 in its previous 10 games.
Season series: Astros 4-1.
RHP Lance McCullers Jr. is on the mound for the Astros. McCullers is 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA (46 2/3 IP, 14 ER), 1.17 WHIP, 4.2 BB/9 and 10.0 K/9 across eight starts.
- Last outing: No-decision in 6 IP with 0 ER, 5 H, 2 BB and 5 K in Houston’s 6-2 win vs. the Rangers Sunday.
- Career vs. the Rangers: 1-4 with a 3.73 ERA (50 2/3 IP, 21 ER), 1.26 WHIP and 13.1 K/9 over 10 starts.
- Vs. Rangers on the current roster: 97 at-bats with a .186/.231/.289 slash line, 35/6 K/BB, 2 HR and 7 RBIs.
RHP Jordan Lyles gets the start for the Rangers. Lyles is 2-3 with a 5.93 ERA (44 IP, 29 ER), 1.55 WHIP, 3.3 BB/9 and 8.6 K/9 across nine starts.
- Last outing: Win, 5-2, in 6 IP with 1 ER, 6 H, 1 BB and 6 K Monday vs. the New York Yankees.
- Career vs. the Astros: 1-1 with a 3.47 ERA (23 1/3 IP, 9 ER), 0.94 WHIP and 5.4 K/9 over three starts and two bullpen outings.
- Vs. Astros on the current roster: 75 at-bats with a .240/.260/.427 slash line, 10/2 K/BB, 3 HR and 6 RBIs.
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Astros at Rangers odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 7:40 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Astros -200 (bet $200 to win $100) | Rangers +170 (bet $100 to win $170)
- Against the spread/ATS: Astros -1.5 (-130) | Rangers +1.5 (+105)
- Over/Under: 9 (O: -115 | U: -105)
Prediction
Rangers 6, Astros 4
Money line (ML)
Slight “LEAN” to the RANGERS (+170) for a one-fifth unit if at all because their run line is a wiser play, but Lyles has handled this daunting Astros lineup well when facing them and McCullers is far less effective on the road.
For instance, McCullers’ ERA is more than two runs higher on the road compared to home starts, McCullers has a 1.43 road WHIP vs. a 1.08 home WHIP, a 14-18 record in away starts and 21-8 at home.
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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
BET the RANGERS +1.5 (+105) for 1 unit because Lyles should enter this game with some pep in his step after defeating the Yankees in his last start and Texas has a 3-2 run line record vs. Houston so far this year.
Furthermore, we cashed a run line ticket on the Rangers last Saturday vs. the Astros when they scored four runs in the top of the 8th to “sneak into the backdoor”.
Also, advanced pitching numbers indicate Texas’ bullpen is average to above-average while Houston’s is slightly below. In fact, the Rangers relievers have a better WAR, xFIP and SIERA than the Astros.
Over/Under (O/U)
PASS with a slight “lean” to the Over because of McCullers’ aforementioned road struggles, and despite my earlier blurb on Lyles, he’s still leading the majors in earned runs allowed and facing a top-5 lineup in baseball.
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