Tag: Texas Rangers vs. Houston Astros odds predictions pick betting line spread

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The Texas Rangers (45-50) and Houston Astros (50-45) wrap up a 3-game series Sunday. First pitch from Minute Maid Park is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Rangers vs. Astros odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: Astros lead 5-4

The Rangers picked up a 2-1 win in 10 innings Saturday behind RHP Nathan Eovaldi, and Texas has won 6 of the past 8 games since July 5. The Rangers pitching staff has allowed 4 or fewer runs in 7 of the past 9 outings.

The Astros saw their 4-game winning streak snapped, and the single run scored was the lowest offensive output since getting blanked on the road against the Chicago White Sox June 18.

Rangers at Astros projected starters

RHP Max Scherzer vs. RHP Ronel Blanco

Scherzer (1-2, 3.09 ERA) makes his 5th start. He has a 0.94 WHIP, 1.2 BB/9 and 6.6 K/9 in 23 1/3 IP.

• Last start: No-decision, 6 2/3 IP, 3 ER (4 R), 8 H (2 HR), 0 BB, 6 K in 5-4 road win vs. Los Angeles Angels Tuesday
• 2024 road splits: 0-1, 3.75 ERA (12 IP, 5 ER), 1.17 WHIP, .255 opponents’ batting average (OBA), 2 BB, 10 K in 2 starts
• Career vs. Astros (regular season): 5-2, 3.84 ERA (63 1/3 IP, 27 ER), 0.95 WHIP, 11.5 K/9 in 9 starts and 1 relief appearance

Blanco (9-3, 2.53 ERA) makes his 18th start. He has a 0.99 WHIP, 3.5 BB/9 and 8.3 K/9 in 103 IP.

• Last start: Win, 7 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 7 K in 4-3 home win vs. Miami Marlins Tuesday
• 2024 home splits: 4-2, 2.60 ERA (55 1/3 IP, 16 ER), 0.90 WHIP, .159 OBA, 20 BB, 49 K in 9 starts (1 CG)
• Career vs. Rangers: 2-0, 3.10 ERA (20 1/3 IP, 7 ER), 1.43 WHIP, 6.6 K/9 in 3 starts and 3 relief appearances

Who’s going yard? Here’s a breakdown of today’s best home run props with our top picks. Include the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE to score a $1,500 first-bet offer.

Rangers at Astros odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 5:19 a.m. ET.

• Moneyline (ML): Rangers +112 (bet $100 to win $112) | Astros -132 (bet $132 to win $100)
• Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Rangers +1.5 (-192) | Astros -1.5 (+158)
• Over/Under (O/U): 8 (O: -110 | U: -110)

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Rangers at Astros picks and predictions

Prediction

Astros 3, Rangers 2

Moneyline

The ASTROS (-132) are worth playing as moderate favorites at home in this series finale over the Rangers (+112).

Blanco has been tough at home, with a tremendous ERA, WHIP and OBA. It won’t be easy, as Scherzer is a tough matchup for the ‘Stros, but Houston is the way to go. It has been playing much better baseball lately.

Run line/Against the spread

The Rangers +1.5 (-192) will you set you back nearly 2 times your potential return, and that’s way too much risk for not enough reward if you require a little bit of insurance. If you like Texas, just play it straight up.

If you like the Astros -1.5 (+158), back them, as they’re 3-1 on the run line as favorites in the past 4 tries.

PASS, though, as this is just too expensive.

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Over/Under

UNDER 8 (-110) is a strong play in this potential pitchers’ duel in H-Town.

The Under has cashed in 12 of Blanco’s past 14 starts, and that alone should make bettors feel quite confident.

For the Rangers, playing the Under is a little risky, as the Over is 4-1-1 in the past 6 games. However, the total has gone low in 3 of Scherzer’s 4 starts to date.

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The Texas Rangers (44-49) and Houston Astros (49-44) open a 3-game set Friday. First pitch from Minute Maid Park is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Rangers vs. Astros odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: Astros lead 4-3

The Rangers snapped a 5-game winning streak with a 7-2 loss at the Los Angeles Angels Wednesday as -127 favorites. CF Leody Taveras hit a 2-run HR in the 5th, and RHP Michael Lorenzen allowed 5 ER in 5 innings to pick up the loss.

Houston took down the Miami Marlins 6-3 as a -177 home favorite Thursday, completing a 3-game sweep. CF Jake Meyers doubled in a run in the 4th inning for the Astros, who have won 9 straight home games.

Rangers at Astros projected starters

LHP Andrew Heaney vs. RHP Hunter Brown

Heaney (3-9, 3.80 ERA) makes his 18th start. He has a 1.24 WHIP, 2.4 BB/9 and 9.2 K/9 in 90 innings.

• Last start: No-decision, 5 1/3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K in 4-3 home win against Tampa Bay Rays Saturday
• Career vs. Astros (regular season): 4-5, 3.89 ERA (88 IP, 38 ER), 1.32 WHIP, 8.5 K/9 in 17 starts, including 0-1 with 9.82 ERA (7 1/3 IP, 8 ER) in 2 starts this year

Brown (6-6, 4.48 ERA) makes his 18th start. He has a 1.39 WHIP, 3.5 BB/9 and 9.8 K/9 in 92 1/3 innings.

• Last start: Loss, 6 IP, 7 ER, 12 H, 1 BB, 6 K in 9-3 defeat at Minnesota Twins Saturday
• Career vs. Rangers (regular season): 2-2, 3.60 ERA (20 IP, 8 ER), 1.60 WHIP, 8.6 K/9 in 4 starts, including 0-1 with 15.00 ERA (3 IP, 5 ER) in 1 start this season

Who’s going yard? Here’s a breakdown of today’s best home run props with our top picks. Include the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE to score a $1,500 first-bet offer.

Rangers at Astros 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): Rangers +120 (bet $100 to win $120) | Astros -145 (bet $145 to win $100)
• Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Rangers +1.5 (-165) | Astros -1.5 (+140)
• Over/Under (O/U): 8 (O: -115 | U: -105)

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Rangers at Astros picks and predictions

Prediction

Astros 5, Rangers 4

Moneyline

BET ASTROS (-145).

Houston is 27-19 at home this season and 7-3 in its last 10 games overall. It is also 3-0 in its last 3 games overall and 9-0 in its last 9 at home. It faces a Rangers team that is 20-28 on the road and is starting Heaney, who is just 3-9 on the mound this season. While both teams have been hot recently, Houston holds the advantage Friday night.

Run line/Against the spread

PASS.

There is minimal value on the run line in this matchup.

Over/Under

BET OVER 8 (-115).

The Rangers have a 5-3-2 Over record in their last 10 games, including 3-0-1 in their last 4. The Astros have a 6-4 Over record in that span, including 2-0 in their last 2 games. The Over is also 5-2 in 7 meetings this season. With a lower total, the Over is the best bet. Just 2 of the last 18 meetings have ended with fewer than 8 total runs.

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The Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros play Game 6 of the best-of-7 American League Championship Series Sunday. First pitch from Minute Maid Park is scheduled for 8:03 p.m. ET (FS1). Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Rangers vs. Astros odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

ALCS: Astros lead 3-2

The Astros went to Arlington for the past 3 games, and Houston won them all. Perhaps the most amazing win was Game 5, as the Astros were down 4-2 heading to the top of the 9th inning. Diminutive 2B Jose Altuve swatted a 3-run, go-ahead homer off of RP Jose Leclerc, killing Rangers moneyline bettors and Under (8.5) bettors in one fell swoop.

The Rangers opened this series with 2 straight wins in Houston to seize home-field advantage, but apparently nobody wants that. The Astros won 3 in a row in Arlington, and the home team is 0-5 in this series. The underdog is also 5-for-5 straight up and on the run line. The Over has cashed in 4 straight in the series.

Rangers at Astros projected starters

RHP Nathan Eovaldi vs. LHP Framber Valdez

Eovaldi made 25 starts in the regular season, going 12-5 with a 3.63 ERA. He had a 1.14 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9 and 8.3 K/9 over 144 innings.

• Last start: Win, 6 IP, 3 ER, 5 H (2 HR), 1 BB, 9 K in 5-4 road win vs. Texas Rangers in Game 2 of the ALCS last Monday
• 2023 road splits: 6-2, 3.56 ERA (78 1/3 IP, 31 ER), 6 HR in 13 starts
• Making his 10th career postseason start and 15th overall appearance

Valdez was 12-11 with a 3.45 ERA across 31 regular-season starts. He had a 1.13 WHIP, 2.6 BB/9 and 9.1 K/9 in 198 innings.

• Last start: Loss, 2 2/3 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 7 H, 1 BB, 6 K in 5-4 home loss vs. the Texas Rangers in Game 2 of the ALCS last Monday
• 2023 home splits: 4-8, 3.35 ERA (102 IP, 38 ER), 7 HR in 16 starts in the regular season
• Making his 15th career postseason start and 16th overall appearance

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Rangers at Astros odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:51 a.m. ET.

• Moneyline (ML): Rangers +108 (bet $100 to win $108) | Astros -126 (bet $126 to win $100)
• Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Rangers +1.5 (-194) | Astros -1.5 (+162)
• Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

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Rangers at Astros picks and predictions

Prediction

Astros 5, Rangers 3

Moneyline

What a novel idea, but let’s roll with the home side and back the ASTROS (-126) in Game 6, yeah?

The winning ways of the road team just cannot continue, and the Rangers (+108) just have to be emotionally gutted after having a chance to bury the defending champs, who did their best Lazarus imitation. Now, it’s Houston in the driver’s seat, and about to punch its ticket back to the World Series while Texas fans and bettors scratch their collective heads wondering what could’ve been.

Run line/Against the spread

Roll the dice on ASTROS -1.5 (+162), as the favorite grabs a cover on the run line for the 1st time in this series. The underdog has not only covered in all 5 games, but it has won outright in the first 5 games. The favorite will shine through in the closeout game.

Over/Under

The UNDER 8.5 (-105) is the lean, but ever so slightly.

We saw the Over hit in the past 4, including the excruciating result at most shops with Altuve’s tater in the 9th inning in Game 5 to flip the result. Under bettors, if it makes you feel better, you were on the right side then and deserved better.

With the intensity ratcheted to an all-time high in Game 6, we should see runs at more of a premium.

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The Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros play Game 2 of the best-of-7 American League Championship Series Sunday. First pitch from Minute Maid Park is scheduled for 4:37 p.m. ET (FOX/FS1). Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Rangers vs. Astros odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

ALCS: Rangers lead 1-0

The Rangers kept up their winning ways on the road in this postseason. Texas posted a 2-0 win in Game 1 on Sunday evening in a well-pitched game, its 1st appearance in the ALCS round since 2011. The Rangers collected just 6 hits, but one of them was an unexpected solo HR from OF Leody Taveras in the 5th inning off of RHP Justin Verlander.

Texas saw LHP Jordan Montgomery bounce back from a shaky showing in the ALDS against Baltimore, twirling 6 1/3 scoreless IP. The Rangers are now 6-0 in the postseason, including 5-0 on the road.

Houston is in the ALCS for the 7th consecutive season. It managed just 5  hits against the southpaw Montgomery. It was a huge departure from a 3-game sweep in September when Houston overpowered Texas by a 39-10 margin, while belting 16 HR.

Rangers at Astros projected starters

RHP Nathan Eovaldi vs. LHP Framber Valdez

Eovaldi made 25 starts in the regular season, going 12-5 with a 3.63 ERA. He had a 1.14 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9 and 8.3 K/9 over 144 innings.

• Last start: Win, 7 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 7 K in 7-1 home win vs. the Baltimore Orioles in Game 3 of the ALDS last Tuesday
• 2023 road splits: 6-2, 3.56 ERA (78 1/3 IP, 31 ER), 6 HR in 13 starts
• Making his 9th career postseason start and 14th overall appearance

Valdez was 12-11 with a 3.45 ERA across 31 regular-season starts. He had a 1.13 WHIP, 2.6 BB/9 and 9.1 K/9 in 198 innings.

• Last start: Loss, 4 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 5 K in 6-2 home loss vs. the Minnesota Twins in Game 2 of the ALDS
• 2023 home splits: 4-8, 3.35 ERA (102 IP, 38 ER), 7 HR in 16 starts in the regular season
• Making his 14th career postseason start and 15th overall appearance

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Rangers at Astros odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:17 a.m. ET.

• Moneyline (ML): Rangers +110 (bet $100 to win $110) | Astros -130 (bet $130 to win $100)
• Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Rangers +1.5 (-196) | Astros -1.5 (+162)
• Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: +100 | U: -122)

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Rangers at Astros picks and predictions

Prediction

Rangers 4, Astros 3

Moneyline

The RANGERS (+110) are worth a look as short ‘dogs on the road, where they have been tremendously comfortable in the postseason so far.

Texas is also worth a look because of Valdez, who has actually had a lot more success on the road than he has in his home park this season. In fact, Valdez not only lost Game 2 against the Twins at Minute Maid Park, he has lost 4 straight starts at home, including the ALDS, last beating the Cleveland Guardians at MMP on Aug. 1 in his no-hitter.

Run line/Against the spread

The Rangers +1.5 (-198) will cost you nearly 2 times your potential return, and that’s a little too expensive for a little insurance. And, frankly, the way Texas has played in the postseason so far, you don’t need it.

AVOID, and roll with the visitors on the moneyline instead.

Over/Under

The UNDER 8.5 (-122) is a big number, especially after these Lone Star State rivals combined for just 2 runs in the series opener.

However, the final 4 meetings of the regular season ended up going Over, and the total went high in 6 of the final 7 meetings overall. But the postseason is a different animal. Monday’s game will see a lot more offense than the series opener, but it’ll still come under the total.

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The Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros play Game 1 of the best-of-7 American League Championship Series Sunday. First pitch from Minute Maid Park is scheduled for 8:16 p.m. ET (FOX). Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Rangers vs. Astros odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Regular-season series: Astros won 9-4

The Rangers hit the road, and they have been comfortable in such games in these playoffs. Texas has won 4 in a row away from home, sweeping the AL-Wild Card in St. Petersburg against the Tampa Bay Rays, while winning both games at Camden Yards against the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS. Overall, Texas has won all 5 playoff games to date, including 4 as an underdog.

There has been a lot of noise about time off for higher seeds in these MLB playoffs, but that didn’t seem to bother the Astros. They took care of the Minnesota Twins in 4 games, including a pair of road wins in Games 3 and 4 to close things out. The Over is 3-1 in 4 playoff games for the Astros to-date.

Rangers at Astros projected starters

LHP Jordan Montgomery vs. RHP Justin Verlander

Montgomery made 32 starts in the regular season with the Cardinals and Rangers, going 10-11 with a 3.20 ERA. He had a 1.19 WHIP, 2.3 BB/9 and 7.9 K/9 over 188 2/3 innings.

• Last start: No-decision, 4 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 9 H, 1 BB, 2 K in 11-8 road win vs. the Baltimore Orioles in Game 2 of the ALDS last Sunday
• 2023 road splits: 3-6, 2.73 ERA (89 IP, 27 ER), 8 HR in 15 starts
• Making his 4th career postseason start and 5th overall appearance

Verlander was 13-8 with a 3.22 ERA across 27 regular-season starts with the Mets and Astros. He had a 1.13 WHIP, 2.5 BB/9 and 8.0 K/9 in 162 1/3 innings.

• Last start: Win, 6 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 6 K in 6-4 home win vs. the Minnesota Twins in Game 1 of the ALDS
• 2023 home splits: 6-5, 3.23 ERA (86 1/3 IP, 31 ER), 12 HR in 14 starts in the regular season
• Making his 36th career postseason start and 37th overall appearance

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Rangers at Astros odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET.

• Moneyline (ML): Rangers +120 (bet $100 to win $120) | Astros -142 (bet $142 to win $100)
• Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Rangers +1.5 (-182) | Astros -1.5 (+150)
• Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -120 | U: -102)

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Rangers at Astros picks and predictions

Prediction

Astros 4, Rangers 3

Moneyline

The ASTROS (-142) are a decent play at home in this series opener, especially behind the experienced Verlander.

The Rangers (+120) have been on an amazing run, winning all 5 playoff games to date, including 4 in a row on the road. However, Houston has been the kryptonite to these super Rangers this season, winning 9 of 13 regular-season meetings. It will be close, though, as Texas is 3-3 in 6 visits to MMP.

Run line/Against the spread

The Rangers +1.5 (-182) are a little too expensive for my liking on the run line, if you want some insurance. My personal limit for a singular wager is -180, and this is just over the threshold.

Texas has been a great story, and I envision a tight, well-pitched game. But the Astros are a better bet on the money line.

AVOID the run line for now.

Over/Under

The UNDER 8.5 (-102) is a strong play in this series opener.

If you’re letting regular-season trends steer the ship, then this looks like a bad play. The Over has cashed in the past 4 meetings between these Lone Star State rivals, while going 4-1 in the past 5 meetings in Houston.

However, Verlander was filthy against the Twins in Game 1, and the Under was 3-1 in his final 4 regular-season starts. As the intensity ratchets up, the runs seem to be fewer and further between when he is on the hill.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

Additional MLB coverage:
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