The Houston Astros (5-1) host the Oakland Athletics (1-6) for their 2021 home opener Thursday at Minute Maid Park. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook‘s lines around the Athletics vs. Astros odds with MLB picks and predictions.
These AL West rivals opened the season against each other last week with the Astros completing a four-game sweep in Oakland. The A’s lost their next two games before beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 in 10 innings Wednesday in the finale of a three-game home set. Oakland, which tied it in the bottom of the ninth, won it on 1B Mitch Moreland‘s walk-off RBI single.
The Astros had Wednesday off after splitting a two-game set at the Los Angeles Angels. SS Carlos Correa‘s 2-run homer in the top of the ninth was the difference in a 4-2 win Tuesday.
LHP Cole Irvin is the A’s projected starter Thursday. He is 0-1 with an 8.31 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 4.2 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in 1 start this season. The outing, his only career appearance against Houston, saw him allow 4 runs on 7 hits and 1 walk over 4 1/3 IP in a 9-1 A’s loss Saturday.
- 2020 stats: 0-1, 17.18 ERA (3 2/3 IP, 7 ER), 3.27 WHIP, 9.8 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 in 3 relief appearances for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Career stats: 2-3, 6.89 ERA (49 2/3 IP, 38 ER) in 20 games, including 4 starts
- Career as a starter: 2-2, 6.14 ERA (22 IP, 15 ER), 1.36 WHIP, 6.1 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9
RHP Cristian Javier is expected to start for the Astros. He is 0-0 with a 4.91 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 9.8 K/9 and 0.0 BB/9 in 1 start this season. He started against the A’s Friday and yielded 2 runs on 3 hits and no walks with 4 strikeouts in 3 2/3 IP.
- 2020 vs. A’s: 0-2, 7.88 ERA (8 IP, 7 ER) in 2 starts
- Career vs. A’s: 0-2, 6.94 ERA (11 2/3 IP, 9 ER) in 3 starts
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Athletics at Astros odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 8:50 a.m. ET.
- Money line: A’s +125 (bet $100 to win $125) | Astros -155 (bet $155 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: A’s +1.5 (-140) | Astros -1.5 (+120)
- Over/Under: 9.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
Prediction
Astros 7, Athletics 3
Money line (ML)
Bet the ASTROS (-155) to WIN 0.25 UNITS. They dominated the A’s in the opening series, outscoring them 35-9. There’s no reason to think Houston won’t dominate again. The Astros are 7-1 straight up in the last eight games of the head-to-head series.
At -165, a $41.25 Houston ML wager profits $25 if the Astros win.
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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
Back HOUSTON -1.5 (+120) for THREE-QUARTER UNITS. Each of the four victories in the opening series vs. Oakland was by at least 4 runs. The Astros won those games by scores of 8-1, 9-5, 9-1 and 9-2.
Plus, the Astros are 6-0 ATS, while the A’s are 1-6 ATS.
Over/Under (O/U)
OVER 9.5 (-115) is the STRONGEST PLAY – 1½ times your usual wager. All four games of the opening series played to the Over, averaging 11.0 runs per game. Houston is scoring 7.5 runs per game so far this season, Oakland’s team ERA is 7.17, and neither starting pitcher makes me think of a low-scoring affair.
O/U records: A’s 5-2 | Astros 5-1
Injury note: Oakland 1B Matt Olson missed the last two games due to a bruised left knee and is questionable for Thursday.
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| JOHNNY PARLAY’S RECORD | W-L | SP | ROI |
| 2021 MLB | 3-9 | 1-2 | -5.6375 |
| 2020 MLB | 80-59-1 | 39-21 | +24.79 |
| 2021 record (all sports) | 105-94-1 | 50-43 | +7.4125 |
| *–SP: Strongest plays; ROI: Return on investment | |||
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