The Tampa Bay Rays (55-53) travel to face off against the Houston Astros (56-52) on Friday, August 2nd. This game will be played at Minute Maid Park in Houston and televised on None. The Astros are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Rays are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Marlins. First pitch is set for 7:10 CT.
Rays vs. Astros Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Astros (-161)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 8 Runs
- In the last 15 games, the Astros have won 4 out of 6 home games, showing strong home-field performance.
- The Astros have scored an average of 5.5 runs per game in their last 6 home games.
- In their last 3 home series, the Astros have won 2 out of 3 series, indicating consistent performance at home.
- In the last 15 games, the Astros have scored 5 or more runs in 7 games, demonstrating offensive strength.
- The Astros have a better overall home record (31-24) compared to the Rays’ away record (25-24), suggesting a home-field advantage.
Rays vs Astros
The Astros Took The Last Game Of This Series
The Rays will be looking to get back on track after closing out their series vs. the Marlins with a 6-2 loss. This was especially tough, as it was Taj Bradley’s first start of the season, and he took the loss, going just five innings and giving up four earned runs. The Rays were also the heavy favorite at -267 going into the game.
Offensively, the Rays only had two fewer hits than the Marlins but scored just two runs. Both of their runs came in the 1st inning. Christopher Morel hit a homer for the Rays but went just 1/4. The Rays also had three players with two hits.
As underdogs, the Rays have been the better bet against the run line, posting a 31-20 record, but as favorites, they are 22-35. Overall, their run line record is 53-55 with an average run margin of -0.4 runs per game. The over/under record in their games this season is 52-51, with games averaging 8.4 runs.
Tampa Bay is looking to get back to .500 today, as they come into the game with a 55-53 record, placing them 4th in the AL East, nine games behind the Orioles. This season, they have a 25-24 record on the road and a 30-29 record at home.
Shane Baz Gets The Start For The Rays
Shane Baz and the Rays are on the road to take on the Astros. Baz has started 3 games this season, and he is still looking for his first win. He went 6 innings in his last start, giving up 2 earned runs on 2 hits and 7 strikeouts. In his season debut, he went 3 1/3 innings and gave up 4 hits and 5 walks.
Rays Offense Breakdown
So far this season, the Rays offense is averaging just 4 runs per game, which is 27th in the league. They have been a little better on the road, averaging 4.4 runs per game. As a team, they are batting just .234, which is 17th in the league, and their team on-base percentage of .312 is 12th. One area they have been good at is avoiding strikeouts, as they are 23rd in the league in strikeouts.
Christopher Morel has been a solid power threat for the Rays this season, as he is 11th in the league with 20 home runs. However, he is batting just .200 this season. Yandy Diaz has been a good all-around hitter for the Rays, as he is batting .271 with 9 homers and 49 RBIs. Over his last seven games, Brandon Lowe has gone 10/23 with four runs scored and one home run.
The Astros Are Coming Off A Win
Houston closed out their series vs. the Pirates with a 5-4 win. Leading up to the game, the Astros were the heavy favorite at -233. Things got tense at the end, as the Pirates pulled to within one run in the 8th, but Josh Hader was able to close things out and pick up the save.
Framber Valdez got the start for the Astros, going six innings and giving up four earned runs on six hits. He also issued three walks and hit a batter. The Astros’s offense was carried by Mauricio Dubon, who went 1/1 with a homer and two RBIs.
Currently tied with the Mariners for the AL West lead, the Astros are 56-52 overall and have a 19-17 record in divisional games. They lost two of three games in their series vs. the Pirates. On the season, Houston’s average run margin is 3.9 when they win and -3.3 when they lose.
This season, Astros games have averaged 8.9 runs per game, and their over/under record is 44-60. The over/under line for today’s game is set at 8 runs, which is lower than usual, as 63.0% of their games have had higher over/under lines. Heading into today’s game, the Astros are 28-19 as favorites at home and 25-28 on the road.
Yusei Kikuchi Gets The Start For The Astros
Yusei Kikuchi gets the start for the Astros today and will be looking to bounce back from his last outing, where he gave up five earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work. In that outing vs. the Rangers, he gave up two homers. Kikuchi has made 22 starts this season and has a record of 4-9 with a 4.75 ERA. Opponents have hit .269 off Kikuchi this season. Looking back at his last four outings, he has finished with a no-decision in three of them. Kikuchi’s ERA for the season is 5.22 at home compared to 6.18 on the road.
Astros Offense Breakdown
So far this season, the Astros are 2nd in the league in batting average, and they are also among the league’s top home run hitting teams. Overall, they are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 11th in the league. At home, they are averaging 5 runs per contest, which is 4th in the league. Houston’s team on-base percentage is 9th in the league, and they are also one of the league’s top slugging teams.
Yordan Alvarez has been a big power threat for the Astros this season, as his 20 homers are 11th in the league. He is also 2nd on the team with 55 RBIs. Yainer Diaz has been on fire of late, going 13/25 in his last six games with two homers. Overall, he is batting .297 with a team-high 59 RBIs.
Rays vs Astros Prediction
Our prediction for today’s Rays vs. Astros game is to take the over, with the line sitting at 8 runs. We see the Astros coming away with a 5-4 win, giving us a little bit of wiggle room on the over/under line.
Looking at some potential starting pitcher props, Yusei Kikuchi is projected to finish with seven strikeouts, which is the second-best among today’s starters. As for Shane Baz, he is projected to finish with five K’s, which is towards the bottom of the list.
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:August 2, 2024 Astros, Rays