Texas Rangers at Houston Astros Betting Preview
The battle for the state of Texas continues when the Houston Astros (6-8, 3-5 home) host the Texas Rangers (8-5, 2-2 away) in the second game of a three-game set. The Rangers opened up the series with a 6-2 victory on Friday night.
Saturday’s contest starts at 7:10 p.m. EST inside Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. The Astros are the betting favorite (-190 moneyline), while the over/under total is eight runs.
What to Know – Texas Rangers
Texas earned the victory in the series opener and has now won four of its last five games. The Rangers have taken over the top spot in the American League West, holding a one-game advantage over the Los Angeles Angels.
Right-hander Jon Gray (1-1, 3.00 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) takes the mound for the third time this season. Gray has been solid in both starts, allowing four earned runs on ten hits and five walks over 12.0 innings with 11 strikeouts. The 31-year-old has been victimized by the home run, surrendering three so far in 2023.
The Rangers are averaging 5.6 runs per game and rank in the middle of the pack in the majors with a .247 team batting average. The offense has heated up for Texas over the last five games, scoring 43 runs and averaging 8.6 runs per contest.
Corey Seager leads the Rangers lineup batting .359 as a team and scoring seven runs. Nathaniel Lowe and Adolis Garcia are tied for a team-high 13 runs batted in, while Marcus Semien has a team-best 11 runs scored.
What to Know – Houston Astros
The Astros have lost two of three and are 3-2 over the last five games. Houston is tied for Seattle in the AL West, 2.5 games behind the Rangers for the top spot.
Rookie Hunter Brown (1-0, 3.09 ERA, 1.11 WHIP) takes his turn on the mound for Houston. The 24-year-old right-hander pitched seven scoreless innings in his last start to earn his first victory of the season. Brown has made two starts in 2023, pitching 11.2 innings while surrendering four earned runs on eight hits and five walks while striking out 12 batters.
Houston is 12th in the MLB, hitting .251 as a team and scoring 4.9 runs per game. The Astros are tenth in the majors in runs scored and 12th in team home runs.
The bats of Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker have propelled the Houston lineup over the first two weeks of the season. Alvarez has connected on four home runs, driving in a team-high 17 RBIs, while Tucker has added four home runs and 13 RBIs.
The Pick is In
These two teams from the state of Texas have their franchises built for a postseason contender. Texas has an advantage on the hill, while the Astros have the edge offensively. There will be some runs scored in this one, but the Astros pull away late in the contest thanks to a key home run.
The Pick: Houston Astros ML
