The Tampa Bay Rays (56-54) travel to face off against the Houston Astros (57-53) on Sunday, August 4th. This game will be played at Minute Maid Park in Houston and televised on None. The Rays are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Astros are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Rays. First pitch is set for 1:10 CT.
Rays vs. Astros Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Rays (+138)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 8.5 Runs
- The Rays have scored 6 or more runs in 5 of their last 15 games.
- The Rays have won 6 of their last 10 games.
- The Rays have a winning record on the road in their last 10 road games, with 6 wins and 4 losses.
- The Rays have outscored the Astros 8-4 in their last two head-to-head games.
- The Rays have a higher league rank (9th) compared to the Astros (11th).
Rays vs Astros
Tampa Bay cruised to an easy 6-1 win over the Astros in the most recent game of this series. The Rays had a huge 5th inning, scoring two of their three runs and picking up eight of their thirteen hits. As for the Astros, they scored their only run in the 5th and finished with just five hits.
Zack Littell only went 5 2/3 innings for the Rays but gave up just one run and one hit. He finished the game with three strikeouts but issued one walk. On the other side, Ronel Blanco got the start for the Astros and gave up two earned runs in five innings of work.
At the plate, Josh Lowe was the difference for the Rays, as he went 4/5 with two homers and three RBIs. Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe each drove in two for Tampa Bay’s offense.
As underdogs, the Rays have been solid on the run line with a 33-20 record, and they are 31-20 on the run line on the road. Overall, the Rays are 56-54 this season and have a 6-4 record in their last 10 games. They are nine games behind the Orioles in the AL East and have a 16-21 record in divisional games.
This season, the Rays have played 105 games with an average of 8.4 runs per game, and their over/under record is 52-53. When the total is set at 8.5 runs, their O/U record is 15-15. Heading into today’s game, their under streak is at 2 games.
Hunter Bigge Gets The Start For The Rays
Tampa Bay is starting Hunter Bigge today, and he has made six appearances out of the bullpen this season. Bigge has a record of 0-0 and an ERA of 1.69. So far, he has not given up a home run this season. The right-hander has a WHIP of 1.12 and batting average allowed of .190. In his last outing, Bigge went 1 inning and gave up 0 earned runs, coming away with a no-decision. He has finished with a no-decision in each of his last four outings. Bigge’s opponents have scored in just one of his last five outings.
Rays Offense Breakdown
Yandy Diaz has been swinging a hot bat for the Rays of late, going 9/29 in his last seven games with two homers. He is also on a four-game hitting streak. For the season, he is batting .276 with 10 homers and 50 RBIs, which is the 2nd best mark on the team. Christopher Morel has been the Rays’ top power threat, as he has 20 homers this season, but he is batting just .197. Morel has gone deep twice in his last four games but is just 2/13 in that stretch.
As a team, the Rays are 27th in the league in scoring at 4 runs per game. They have been even worse at home, averaging just 3.7 runs per contest. Overall, they are batting .235, which is 17th in the league, and are also near the bottom of the league in terms of slugging and isolated power.
Today’s game between the Astros and Rays is the rubber match of their series, as they’ve split the first two games. The Astros are 5-5 in their last 10 games and have an overall series record of 19-15-1. They are one game behind the Mariners in the AL West with a 57-53 record.
As favorites, the Astros have a 43-38 straight-up record and a 36-45 run line record. Their games this season have averaged 8.8 runs, and their over/under record is 44-62. The under has hit in their last two games, and their O/U record with an 8.5 total is 14-20.
Spencer Arrighetti Gets The Start For The Astros
Right-hander Spencer Arrighetti gets the start for the Astros today as he faces off against the Rays at home. He has made 19 starts this season and has a record of 4-9 with a 5.58 ERA. Arrighetti’s WHIP for the season is 1.54, and opponents are batting .253 off him this year. In his 19 starts, he has turned in four quality starts and is averaging 10.17 strikeouts per nine innings. Arrighetti most recently pitched on July 28th, where he took the loss, giving up three earned runs in six innings of work. He has taken the loss in each of his last two outings.
Astros Offense Breakdown
Heading into today’s game, the Astros are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is the 13th best mark in the league. They are also one of the top home run hitting teams in the league, coming in 13th in home runs. As a team, they are batting .261, which is the 3rd best mark in the league. Houston’s offense is led by Yainer Diaz, who is hitting .297 for the season and leads the team with 59 RBIs.
Yordan Alvarez comes into the game with a team-high 20 home runs and is batting .298 for the season. Kyle Tucker is right behind him in terms of homers, with 19, and is batting .266 for the season. Tucker is also on a three-game hitting streak. Over his last five games, Diaz is 9/20 at the plate, while Jon Singleton has gone 4/15.
Rays vs Astros Prediction
Our prediction for this Rays vs. Astros matchup is to take the Rays on the money line, with the payout sitting at +138. We actually have the Rays winning this game by a score of 6-4, and with the over/under line at 8.5 runs, there isn’t a ton of wiggle room in terms of the line.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Spencer Arrighetti is projected to finish with six strikeouts, which is the fifth-best among starters today. However, his projected innings are the third-lowest, and we have him finishing with the seventh-most earned runs.
For the Astros lineup, they are projected to finish with the 15th most hits today and the 21st most runs. As for the Rays, they are projected to finish with the sixth most runs and the fourth most home runs.
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 4, 2024 Astros, Rays