Rangers Against Astros Game 1 Recap
The Texas Rangers (48-61) will face off against the Houston Astros (71-40) in Game Two of a three-game series.
The Astros took Game One by a final score of 7-5. It was an entertaining ball game throughout that saw the Astros narrowly cover the home spread. But the Rangers made things interesting.
Texas will aim to pull off the upset in Houston on Wednesday. However, it won’t come easy against the AL West leading Astros.
Game 2’s first pitch is scheduled for Wednesday, August 10th at Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX. Let’s take a look at the Rangers vs. Astros odds.
Texas Rangers vs. Houston Astros Odds Breakdown
The Astros enter this game as an unsurprising favorite. Houston has been solid at home and will look to keep rolling.
Meanwhile, the Rangers have potential but have not put the pieces together. It wouldn’t be surprising to see this ball club become a contender next year. But they need to add pitching.
They don’t feature much in the way of pitching depth. Martin Perez has been impressive for Texas, but he’s been the lone standout. For now, Houston is the favorite without question.
Odds for this Matchup
The Astros took Game One by a final score of 7-5. It was an exciting game. However, the Astros pulled out the win. As a result of their win, they just did cover the MLB betting odds.
But the Rangers are a team capable of upsetting the odds. As aforementioned, I expect Game Two to be exciting and competitive once again.
Rangers vs. Astros Betting Preview
Glenn Otto Analysis
Glenn Otto (4-8, 5.31) is the scheduled starting pitcher for Texas. Otto’s numbers don’t do him justice. He features an impressive repertoire and has the potential to become a star on the mound. But he’s been plagued by inconsistency this season.
Although I believe he will have a quality future in the big leagues, he may not fare well tomorrow. Houston has a loaded lineup. More importantly, the Astros hitters typically take smart at-bats.
So they will be more than willing to draw walks and force Otto to set himself up for trouble. If Otto can give the Rangers five competitive innings that will be more than enough.
Justin Verlander Analysis
Justin Verlander (15-3, 1.73) is the scheduled starting pitcher for the Astros. He would likely be the AL Cy Young if the season ended today.
Wins and losses don’t mean what they used too for a starting pitcher. But Verlander is clearly giving the Astros a chance to win in almost every outing based on his eye-popping 15-3 record.
He shouldn’t have too many issues against the Rangers in this ball game. And he will have a great opportunity to rack up a ton of strikeouts as well. Verlander may be in line for a dominant outing.
Texas Rangers vs. Houston Astros Picks and Predictions
The over/under is set at around 7.5 according to most sportsbooks. This is likely a result of Justin Verlander toeing the rubber for Houston.
Verlander has the potential to shut out an opponent on any given night. With that being said, 7.5 feels a bit low for this game.
The Rangers should be able to put up a few runs on the scoreboard. And the Astros offense is unlikely to be stifled by Glen Otto and the Rangers. So take the over on the total.
Who to Bet On?
As for the moneyline, the Astros are heavy favorites. And they should be your betting selection for your MLB picks today.
The Rangers feature some upset potential. But betting against Justin Verlander is not a smart decision. He can single-handedly lead the Astros to a victory.
And the lineup possesses enough firepower to provide him with run support. They may not post a crooked number, but Houston’s hitters should do enough to lead the Astros to a convincing win in front of the home faithful. Take the Houston Astros -1.5 with your betting selection.
MLB Pick: Astros -1.5 (-135)
If you love sports and want more sports betting information follow us as @InsidersBetDig on Twitter and sign up to our mailing list for free betting picks.