The Houston Astros (0-2) and Texas Rangers (2-0) will battle it out in an intrastate showdown in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series Wednesday. Read ahead for a preview of this matchup including the Astros vs Rangers odds.
Astros vs RangersPicks
MLB Pick : Astros to win this one on the road at +122.
Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers Odds
Before making your MLB picks, it is important to look at the Astros vs Rangers odds for this contest.
- Moneyline: The MLB odds show the Rangers as the favorites as they are -132 on the moneyline. The Astros are +122 to win this one on the road.
- Spread: The spread features the Astros +1.5, with odds of -170. For the Rangers, they are -1.5 on the spread, with odds of +150.
- Over/Under: The over/under for total runs sits at nine. The over has odds of -115, while the under nine runs has odds of -105.
Astros vs. Rangers Information
Houston Astros vs Texas Rangers
Location of the game: Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas
Date & Time: Wednesday, October 18. 8:03 pm ET.
How to watch: National – FS1 | FS1-INT
Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers Betting Preview
Looking at the MLB schedule, the Rangers stole the first two games of this series on the road, winning 2-0 and 5-4. They now come back home trying to stay undefeated in the playoffs.
As for Houston, they are hoping to take advantage of being on the road. During the regular season, they were just 39-42 at home, but they were 51-30 on the road. That was one of the things that catapulted them to the top of the MLB standings in the AL West.
For the Rangers, even though they finished second in the MLB standings in the AL West, they are now just two wins away from a trip to the World Series.
Offensively, Texas ranked third out of all MLB teams in scoring, averaging 5.44 runs per game. They are even better at home, where they are averaging 5.98 runs per game.
Out of all MLB teams, the Astros’ lineup ranks fifth in scoring, averaging 5.07 runs per game (5.71 on the road).
MLB Injury Report
In regards to the MLB injury report, the Astros are without pitchers Lance McCullers Jr (forearm) and Luis Garcia (forearm). The Rangers are without pitchers Jake Odorizzi (arm) and Jacob deGrom (elbow).
Starting Pitchers
It is always imperative to take a look at the day’s starters before making your MLB predictions.
Astros Hope Javier Can Quiet Rangers’ Bats
What feels like a must-win game for the Astros, manager Dusty Baker will turn to 26-year-old righty Christian Javier on Wednesday. In 31 MLB games during the regular season, Javier was 10-5 with a 4.56 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and he struck out 159 in 162 innings.
In his last start, a win over the Minnesota Twins, Javier went five shutout innings. He has now not allowed an earned run in his last 11 innings of work.
Rangers Happy To Have Scherzer Back
After missing the last part of the season with a shoulder injury, the Texas Rangers will welcome back future Hall-of-Famer Max Scherzer for this contest.
During the regular season, his MLB player stats show that he was 13-6 with a 3.77 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and had 174 strikeouts in 152.2 innings.
In 27 career MLB games in the postseason, Scherzer is 7-7 with a 3.58 ERA and 1.12 WHIP, and he has 164 strikeouts in 133.1 innings.
Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers Picks and Predictions
After analyzing the Astros vs Rangers odds, take the Astros to win this one on the road at +122.
This one comes down to value. The Astros’ Christian Javier has pitched well as of late, and the Astros dominated on the road this season. In fact, in seven road games against the Rangers this year, they went 6-1.
Throw on top of that the fact that Max Scherzer is a bit of a wild card in this one. Granted, he is an ace when he is right, but this is his first start since his injury, so it will be interesting to see how sharp he is and how deep he can go in the game.
Given all of those variables, there is a lot of value in taking the Astros to win Game 3 at +122 on the moneyline.
In terms of the total, take the under-nine runs in this one (-105). The under has hit in 8 of the Rangers’ last 12 games and four of the last six for the Astros when playing as the underdog.
- MLB Pick: Astros to win this one on the road at +122.
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