Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros Prediction, Pick and Preview, September 21 (9/21): MLB

Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros Prediction, Pick and Preview, September 21 (9/21): MLB

 

Odds

Time 6:40 p.m. EST
Rays money line +105
Rays run line +1.5 (-165)
Astros money line -125
Astros run line -1.5 (+140)
Over / under 7

 

Key stats

  Tampa Bay Rays  Houston Astros
Record 82-66 98-51
Home / road record 49-27 48-28
Last 10 record 4-6 8-2
Streak L2 W3
Over / under record 66-73-9 55-84-10
Runs / game 4.23 4.52
Runs allowed / game 3.74 3.23

 

Preview

The Houston Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays will play the 3rd game of the series at the Tropicana Field on Wednesday. The Astros shoutout the Rays again 5-0 in the second game of the series. 

 

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays get here with a 82-66 record and have lost 3 of their last 5 games. The team is averaging 4.23 runs per game. They're batting for .242 AVG, 614 runs scored in 1181 hits and 128 home runs, ranking #18 in offense in the league behind the Chicago White Sox. Randy Arozarena leads the team in home runs with 19 and 79 RBI while Yandy Diaz is batting for .295.

Defensively they are allowing 3.74 runs per game and rank #6 in the league. Shane McClanahan leads the pitching staff with a 2.13 ERA, 187 strikeouts and 12 wins recorded with the Rays.

Probable Pitcher:  Corey Kluber (10-9, 4.44 ERA)

Kluber will be on the mound in the 3rd game of the series for the Rays. Kluber took the loss to Texas on Friday, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out six and walking none over 5.2 innings. He has a record of 6-3 with an ERA of 3.03 and 83 strikeouts in 11 appearances versus the Astros in his career.

Houston Astros

The Astros get here with a 98-52 record and have won 8 of their last 9 games. They're averaging 4.52 runs and batting for .246 AVG, 662 runs scored in 1200 hits and 196 home runs, ranking #8 in offense in the league behind the Philadelphia Phillies. Yordan Alvarez leads the team batting for .304 avg with 37 home runs and 93 RBI. 

Defensively they are allowing 3.23 runs per game and ranking #2 in the league. Justin Verlander leads the pitching staff with a 1.78 ERA, 163 strikeouts and 17 wins recorded for the Astros.

Probable Pitcher: Lance McCullers Jr. (3-1, 2.34 ERA)

McCullers Jr. will be on the mound in the 3rd game of the series for the Astros. McCullers allowed two runs on two hits and four walks while striking out 11 in six innings during a 5-2 win over Oakland on Thursday. He did not factor into the decision. He has a 3-2 record with an ERA of 2.81 and 37 strikeouts in 5 appearances against the Rays in his career.

 

BETTING TRENDS

Houston are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games against Tampa Bay.

Houston are 6-0 SU in their last 6 games on the road.

Houston are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay are 4-8 SU in their last 12 games.

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games against Houston.

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games at home.

 

Prediction

The Astros clinched the AL West and still continue to win gamesa and have allowed only 2 runs in the last 3 games. Lance McCullers will start for the Astros who has good since his return and the Astros have won in his last 3 starts. Kluber will start for the Rays who has struggled lately allowing 10 runs in the last 6 innings pitched. The Astros don't want to slow it down so let's go with them for the sweep.

PICK: Astros ML (-125)

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