The Houston Astros (87-73) travel to face off against the Cleveland Guardians (92-68) on Saturday, September 28th. This game will be played at Progressive Field in Cleveland and televised on BSGL. The Astros are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Guardians are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Astros. First pitch is set for 5:10 CT.
Astros vs. Guardians Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Astros (-101)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 8 Runs
- The Astros have scored 5 or more runs in 8 of their last 15 games.
- The Astros have won 6 of their last 8 road games.
- The Astros have a 6-4 record in their last 10 games.
- The Astros have a 41-38 record in away games this season, compared to the Guardians’ 42-39 home record.
- The Astros won their last head-to-head game against the Guardians, scoring 5 runs and allowing only 2.
Astros vs Guardians
It was all Houston in the last game of this series, as the Astros took down the Guardians by a score of 5-2. The Astros offense only had two more hits than the Guardians and struck out 13 times, but still picked up a convincing win. Heading into the game, they were at +101 on the money line.
Cleveland got on the board first with two runs in the 4th inning, but the Astros responded with two runs in the 5th and added three more in the 9th. As for the Guardians, they didn’t score another run after the 4th.
Ronel Blanco got the win for the Astros out of the bullpen, while Joey Cantillo had a rough outing for the Guardians, taking the loss.
As the favorite, Houston has a 67-51 record this season, and their overall series record is 27-22-2. The Astros are 87-73 overall and lead the AL West by four games over the Mariners. They have a 29-23 record in divisional games heading into today’s matchup against the Guardians.
The Astros’ average run margin in winning games is 3.7 runs, while their average run margin in losing games is -3.1 runs. Their over/under record for the season is 65-89, and when the total is set at 8 runs, their O/U record is 15-14-2. So far, 57.5% of their games have had higher over/under lines than 8 runs.
Justin Verlander Gets The Start For The Astros
Right-hander Justin Verlander gets the start for the Astros today as he faces the Guardians on the road. He has made 16 starts this year and has a record of 4-6 with a 5.55 ERA. Looking at his overall numbers, Verlander has a WHIP of 1.40 and opponents are batting .265 this year. Verlander’s last outing came on September 20th, where he finished with a no-decision. In that start, he gave up six earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work. Before that outing, he had won two straight starts.
Astros Offense Breakdown
So far this season, the Astros are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 11th in the league. At home, they have been even better, averaging 4.9 runs per game. Overall, they are the league’s 8th best home run hitting team and have the 3rd best team batting average in the MLB. Not only do the Astros not strike out much, but they also have the league’s 6th best on-base percentage.
Yordan Alvarez has been the Astros’ top power threat this season, as his 35 home runs lead the team and is 8th in the league. He also has 86 RBIs, which is the best mark on the team. Over his last 10 games, Alex Bregman has gone 13/38 with three homers and eight RBIs. Kyle Tucker is also swinging a hot bat, going 14/31 over his last eight games.
After losing the first game of the series, Cleveland is looking to bounce back against the Astros today. The Guardians have an overall record of 92-68 and are leading the AL Central by six games. Their series record for the season is 29-16-6, and they are 6-4 in their last 10 games.
This season, Cleveland has a 50-29 record at home and is 42-39 on the road. Their run line record is 82-78, with an average run differential of 3.3 runs in victories. As underdogs, they have a 36-25 run line record and have covered in their last four games in that role.
Ben Lively Gets The Start For The Guardians
Ben Lively gets the start for the Guardians today and will be looking to build off his last outing, where he gave up just one earned run in five innings of work. In that outing vs. the Cardinals, he allowed just three hits and issued one walk. Lively ended up with the win in that outing. Looking back at his last four outings, Lively has given up a homer in three of them. His record for the season is 13-9, and he has an ERA of 3.80. Opponents are batting .233 off Lively this season. So far, he has made nine quality starts.
Guardians Offense Breakdown
So far this season, the Guardians are averaging 4.4 runs per game, which is 14th in the league. They have been a better offensive team at home, averaging 4.7 runs per game. As a team, the Guardians are batting .238, which is 11th in the league, and they are also one of the league’s best teams at avoiding strikeouts. One area where they have struggled is in terms of their on-base percentage, where they are just 14th in the MLB.
Jose Ramirez has been hot of late, going 10/27 in his last seven games, including three homers. For the season, he is batting .277 with 38 homers and 115 RBIs. Josh Naylor is also a big power threat in the lineup, as he has 31 homers this season and is batting .242.
Astros vs Guardians Prediction
We see the Astros coming away with a 5-4 road win over the Guardians. So, we would recommend taking the Astros on the money line, where you can get them at -101.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Justin Verlander going 9th in terms of projected strikeouts, with him finishing the game with five. As for Ben Lively, he is predicted to finish with four K’s, which is the lowest among today’s starters.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:September 28, 2024 Astros, Guardians