Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Wednesday’s Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays odds and lines, with MLB expert picks, predictions and best bets.

The Houston Astros (13-11) and Tampa Bay Rays (20-4) will wrap up their 3-game series Wednesday at Tropicana Field. First pitch from St. Petersburg will be at 6:40 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Astros vs. Rays odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: Tied 1-1

These teams split the 1st 2 games of the series and each have scored a total of 8 runs. The Astros bounced back from an 8-3 loss on Monday to beat the Rays 5-0 on Tuesday, getting 6 shutout innings from SP Luis Garcia and outhitting Tampa Bay 11-5. It snapped the Rays’ 6-game winning streak and gave Houston its 5th win in the last 6 games.

The Rays have been by far the best team in the league this season, 4 games better than the next-closest team. They’re 14-1 at home and have an overall plus-88 run differential, 30 better than everyone else. After a red-hot start, they’ve lost 4 games in their last 11, so they’ve begun to come back down to earth.

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Astros at Rays projected starters

RHP Hunter Brown vs. RHP Calvin Faucher

Brown (2-0, 3.09 ERA) makes his 5th start. He has a 1.20 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9 and 9.3 K/9 in 23 1/3 IP.

  • In 2 starts this season, he has pitched 7 shutout innings; in his other 2 starts he allowed 4 runs in 4 2/3 innings
  • Has struck out 5 batters in 2 of his starts and 7 in his other 2 starts

Faucher (0-0, 5.91 ERA) makes his 3rd start. He has a 1.50 WHIP, 1.7 BB/9 and 7.6 K/9 in 10 2/3 IP.

  • Operated as the opener in his last 2 appearances, pitching 2 innings in his most recent start and 2 2/3 in the previous one
  • Hasn’t thrown more than 46 pitches in an outing yet
  • The Rays are 1-1 in the 2 games he has started

Astros at Rays odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:08 a.m. ET.

  • Moneyline (ML): Astros +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Rays -130 (bet $130 to win $100)
  • Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Astros +1.5 (-190) | Rays -1.5 (+155)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)

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Astros at Rays picks and predictions

Prediction

Astros 5, Rays 4

Moneyline

This game sets up well for the Astros, who are facing Faucher – an opener who won’t go deep into the game. He’s already given up 2 HRs in only 10 2/3 innings, along with 14 hits, so he’s susceptible to getting hit hard.

The Rays aren’t on the tear they were on to start the year and have dropped 4 of their last 11, one of which was with Faucher starting the game. BET ASTROS (+105) to win outright.

Run line/Against the spread

With this being a relatively even matchup, I don’t love betting the Astros on the run line because. Though I expect them to cover, it’s not worth the juice at -190 when you can just bet them to win outright at +105.

The Astros also haven’t lost a game by fewer than 2 runs since April 7, so betting them to cover the 1.5-run margin isn’t the best way to play this game. PASS.

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Over/Under

The total went over in the 1st meeting between these teams and under in the 2nd, so there isn’t a strong trend to follow in this season series. However, the Over is 15-8-1 in Astros games and 13-8-3 in Rays games, according to Covers.

The Rays’ pitching staff is excellent and ranks 1st in team ERA (2.82), but they’re facing a tough Astros lineup Wednesday. BET OVER 8.5 (-105).

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Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Monday’s Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays odds and lines, with MLB expert picks, predictions and best bets.

The Houston Astros (12-10) will begin a 3-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays (19-3) on Monday at Tropicana Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Astros vs. Rays odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: First meeting; Astros went 5-1 vs. the Rays in 2022

The Astros defeated the Atlanta Braves 5-2 on Sunday to complete the 3-game series sweep on the road. Houston has won 4 straight games and its last 2 series.

On Sunday, the Rays beat the Chicago White Sox 4-1 to improve to 19-3 on the season. Tampa Bay has secured 5 consecutive victories to give itself the best record in baseball.

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Astros at Rays projected starters

RHP Jose Urquidy vs. RHP Taj Bradley

Urquidy (1-1, 3.66 ERA) makes his 5th start. He has a 1.53 WHIP, 3.2 BB/9 and 7.8 K/9 in 19 2/3 IP.

  • Has given up 7 H in 3 of his 1st 4 starts this season
  • Has 1-4 record in his last 7 starts dating back to last season

Bradley (2-0, 2.61 ERA) makes his 3rd start. He has a 0.97 WHIP, 1.7 BB/9 and 14.8 K/9 in 10 1/3 IP.

  • Has 8-plus K’s in each of his 1st 2 starts this season
  • Last start: 5 1/3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K vs. the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday

Astros at Rays odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:43 a.m. ET.

  • Moneyline (ML): Astros +125 (bet $100 to win $125) | Rays -150 (bet $150 to win $100)
  • Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Astros +1.5 (-160) | Rays -1.5 (+135)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)

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Astros at Rays picks and predictions

Prediction

Rays 5, Astros 3

Moneyline

One of these teams is going to have its winning streak end on Monday. With Tampa Bay boasting a 13-0 record at home this season, I’ll back the RAYS (-150) to get the job done.

Run line/Against the spread

RAYS -1.5 (+135) has solid value with how Tampa Bay has performed at home thus far. Urquidy is a pitcher who can struggle with his lack of swing and misses, while Bradley has hit the ground running in his 1st 2 starts.

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Over/Under

LEAN UNDER 8.5 (-115).

Both of these teams certainly have lineups that are capable of producing runs in bunches. However, the Under is 28-8-3 in the last 39 meetings in Tampa Bay and 43-21-4 in the last 68 meetings overall.

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Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Wednesday’s Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays odds and lines, with MLB expert picks and predictions.

The Houston Astros (98-51) and Tampa Bay Rays (82-66) clash Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. ET as they put a lid on 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: Houston leads 2-0

The Astros shut out Tampa 4-0 Monday and 5-0 Tuesday. They are now 9-1 over their last 10 games. Houston’s pitching of late has been tremendous. Since Aug. 21, the Astros are 21-6 with a 2.15 ERA.

The Rays had been 16-3 over their previous 19 home games, but they’ve now dropped 2 in a row while mustering just 8 combined hits. Tampa Bay is 4-8 and batting just .231/.298/.337 (.634 OPS) over its last 12 games.

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Astros at Rays projected starters

RHP Lance McCullers, Jr. vs. RHP Corey Kluber

McCullers Jr. (3-1, 2.34 ERA) owns a 1.27 WHIP, 4.9 BB/9 and 9.6 K/9 through 34 2/3 IP over 6 starts.

  • Is coming off an 11-strikeout performance in his last turn, which marked his most in a single game since July 29, 2018
  • Has exhibited fastball velocity roughly a mile-an-hour slower than last season when he averaged 94.0 mph on that pitch
  • Has thrown fewer first-pitch strikes than at any full season of his career, and that has fed into a BB/9 rate which is his highest since 2017.

Kluber (10-9, 4.44 ERA) makes his 29th start. He has a 1.19 WHIP, 1.1 BB/9 and 7.8 K/9 through 148 IP.

  • Has seen things go sideways in his last two starts (combined 10 ER on 17 hits over 6 1/3 IP)
  • Owns a 2.41 ERA over his last 3 home starts and a 3.92 ERA at home for the season

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 10:37 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Astros -130 (bet $130 to win $100) | Rays +105 (bet $100 to win $105)
  • Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Astros -1.5 (+133) | Rays +1.5 (-165)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 7.5 (O: +110 | U: -135)

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Astros at Rays picks and predictions

Prediction

Rays 5, Astros 4

Money line

BACKING THE RAYS (+105) here, almost exclusively due to starting pitching vs. expectations. It’s not that McCullers isn’t supremely talented or that Kluber has not scuffled, but the pricing here rewards the muddy middle, to where regression drains.

Run line/Against the spread

PASS on the more juice-laden Run Line.

Over/Under

With the slightest fade in this game’s overall pitching, but mostly due to an attractive price here, back the OVER 7.5 (+110).

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Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Tuesday’s Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays odds and lines, with MLB expert picks and predictions.

The Houston Astros (97-51) and Tampa Bay Rays (82-65) meet Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. ET to continue 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: Houston leads 1-0

The Astros shut out Tampa 4-0 Monday and are now 8-1 over their last 9 games. Houston’s pitching of late has been terrific. Since Aug. 21, the Astros are 20-6 with a 2.23 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. Houston is 9-1 over its last 10 games away from Minute Maid Park.

The Rays had been 16-3 over their previous 19 home games, but they were shut out Monday for the first time since July 28. Tampa Bay is 4-7 and batting just .241/.301/.352 (.654 OPS) over its last 11 games.

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Astros at Rays projected starters

RHP Cristian Javier vs. LHP Shane McClanahan

Javier (9-9, 2.87 ERA) has appeared in 27 games and made 22 starts. He’s logged a 1.00 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9 and 11.8 K/9 through 131 2/3 IP.

  • Owns a 1.79 ERA over his last 7 starts
  • Coming off 6 scoreless innings Wednesday at the Detroit Tigers; has allowed 1 ER or less in 5 of his last 6 starts

McClanahan (12-5, 2.13 ERA) owns a 0.86 WHIP, 1.8 BB/9 and 11.0 K/9 through 152 1/3 IP across 25 starts.

  • Has pitched 11 scoreless innings over his last 2 starts
  • Figures to see a heavy dose of right-handed bats in the Houston lineup; has held righties to a .508 OPS this season

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 8:10 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Astros +110 (bet $100 to win $110) | Rays -135 (bet $135 to win $100)
  • Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Astros +1.5 (-205) | Rays -1.5 (+165)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)

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Astros at Rays picks and predictions

Prediction

Astros 4, Rays 3

Money line

There is some risk because of the fine pitching match-up, but HOUSTON (+110) is a workable play.

This boils down to the dependability of the Astros lineup, which has cranked out an .883 OPS over its last 11 games. McClanahan’s start is his second off a layoff, and that could bring on middle-inning fatigue. The Tampa port-sider missed the first couple weeks of September with a shoulder impingement.

Run line/Against the spread

With respect for McClanahan, bigger bankroll players may want to consider a line watch here instead of the outright ML play.

Houston +1.5 priced at either -195 or even -200 makes for solid leverage.

Over/Under

With the slightest 4-way (both starters, both bullpens) fade in this game’s pitching, and with due respect for the Houston offense — one at its best against left-handers (.772 OPS) — back the OVER 6.5 (-108).

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Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Monday’s Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays odds and lines, with MLB expert picks and predictions.

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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Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays odds, picks and prediction

Analyzing Saturday’s Houston Astros at Tampa Bay Rays odds and lines, with MLB picks and predictions.

The Houston Astros (14-12) and Tampa Bay Rays (13-14) play the second of a three-game set Saturday with a 4:10 p.m. ET first pitch at Tropicana Field. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook‘s lines around the Astros vs. Rays odds with MLB picks and predictions.

RHP Jose Urquidy is the projected starting pitcher for the Astros. He is 1-2 with a 4.67 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 7.3 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 over 27 IP through five starts.

Urquidy posted his first quality start of the season last time out despite allowing two solo homers against the Seattle Mariners on Monday for his first victory of the season.

LHP Josh Fleming is the projected starting pitcher for the Rays. He is 1-2 with a 1.23 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 4.9 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 through 14 2/3 IP across two starts and a relief appearance.

Fleming has allowed just 10 total hits with four walks in his 14 2/3 innings this season, and he has served up just one home run. His only homer allowed was April 14 against the Texas Rangers.

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Astros at Rays odds, lines, picks and prediction

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 8:30 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Astros -125 (bet $125 to win $100) | Rays +105 (bet $100 to win $105)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Astros -1.5 (+125) | Rays +1.5 (-155)
  • Over/Under: 8 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Prediction

Astros 8, Rays 4

Money line (ML)

The ASTROS (-125) handled their business in the opener of the three-game set, taking care of the Rays (+105) by a 9-2 score. That win for Houston came against another left-handed starting pitcher. The Astros are 4-1 across the past five against an LHP.

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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)

The ASTROS -1.5 (+125) cashed on the run line as favorites Friday night, and each of their past five victories have been by at least two runs. After a rather slow start to the season, the Astros appear to be hitting on all cylinders again.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 8 (-110) is the way to go here. While you needn’t worry about weather under the only fixed dome stadium in the majors, the Over cashed on Friday. The Over is 6-4-1 across Houston’s 11 games against a left-handed starting pitcher, while the Over is 11-6 in Tampa’s 17 games against a right-handed starter.

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