The Houston Astros (45-37) and the Texas Rangers (49-33) play the 2nd contest of a 4-game wraparound series Saturday 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 and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Series tied 2-2 after Houston’s 5-3 win in the series opener Friday
The Astros have rattled off 3 straight victories, all on the road, while averaging 9.7 runs per game. Houston has outscored the opposition 29-10 during the impressive run, cashing the Over at a 2-0-1 clip in the 3 games.
Houston has won 4 in a row against right-handed starting pitchers and is 4-1 in the past 5 games on the road.
The Rangers dropped the series opener but still have a 4-game lead in the AL West over the 2nd-place Astros. Texas is also 2nd in the majors with a plus-155 run differential, behind only the Tampa Bay Rays (plus-163).
The Rangers have racked up 10 wins in the past 13 tries in Game 2 of a series, but Texas is just 1-4 in the past 5 games inside the division.
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Astros at Rangers projected starters
RHP Hunter Brown vs. RHP Nathan Eovaldi
Brown (6-4, 3.62 ERA) makes his 16th start. He has a 1.20 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9 and 10.0 K/9 over 87 IP.
- Last start: No-decision, 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K in a 6-5 road win vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers Sunday
- 2023 road splits: 4-1, 3.21 ERA (47 2/3 IP, 17 ER – 7 HR) with a .214 opponent batting average (OBA) in 8 starts
- 2023 vs. Texas: Win, 7 IP, 2 R (0 ER), 5 H, 1 BB, 5 K in an 8-2 home win April 15
Eovaldi (9-3, 2.82 ERA) makes his 17th start. He has a 1.00 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9 and 8.6 K/9 across 105 1/3 IP.
- Last start: No-decision, 5 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 K in a 5-3 road loss vs. the New York Yankees Sunday
- 2023 home splits: 3-2, 3.46 ERA (39 IP, 15 ER – 5 HR) with a .213 OBA in 6 starts with 1 complete game shutout
Astros at Rangers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:31 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Astros +115 (bet $100 to win $115) | Rangers -140 (bet $140 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Astros +1.5 (-175) | Rangers -1.5 (+145)
- Over/Under (O/U): 7.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
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Astros at Rangers picks and predictions
Prediction
Rangers 4, Astros 3
Moneyline
The RANGERS (-140) are a solid bet as they look for the bounce-back game with one of their better pitchers on the bump.
Eovaldi hasn’t faced the Astros this season, while the rookie Brown handled Texas down in Houston back in April. However, Eovaldi has been money at home, holding the opposition to just a .213 batting average. He’ll help Texas level this series in Game 2.
Run line/Against the spread
The ASTROS +1.5 (-175) are just under my personal limit of -180 for a standalone wager. If you want a little insurance, and don’t want to take Houston straight up, it isn’t priced out of line.
Houston has won 3 of the past 4 as an underdog straight up and has cashed the run line as a ‘dog at a 5-1 clip in the past 6 instances.
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Over/Under
The UNDER 7.5 (-105) is the lean, but it’s a bit of a leap of faith.
The Over has dominated for both sides lately, going 3-0-3 in the past 6 games for Texas and 4-1-1 in the past 6 for Houston.
However, Brown and Eovaldi are sure to hang plenty of donuts on the scoreboard as both have particularly strong splits. The rookie Brown has been more effective on the road, and Eovaldi doesn’t get dinged at home.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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