Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros 7/28/2023 Picks, Odds, and Prediction
On Friday, July 28, 2023, at 8:10 PM ET, the Tampa Bay Rays will face the Houston Astros in an MLB matchup set to take place at Minute Maid Park, TX. The Rays had a tough time in their recent two-game interleague series with the Marlins, suffering a crushing defeat in the second game. This loss marked their eighth defeat in the last ten games. As of Thursday, the Rays hold a 62-43 record and find themselves 1.5 games behind the Orioles for the top spot in the AL East. However, they currently hold the top wild-card berth according to the American League standings.
In their last game against the Marlins, the Rays struggled at the plate, managing only five hits with no player recording more than one hit. They left four runners on base and only had one out of three runners in scoring position. Pitcher Zach Eflin (11-6) was charged with the loss after pitching four innings and giving up five runs on seven hits, with one walk and three strikeouts.
For the Rays, Shane McClanahan will take the mound in this series finale, marking his 20th start of the season. So far, he boasts an impressive record of 11-1, with a 2.89 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, along with 41 walks and 112 strikeouts in 106 innings pitched. In his most recent start against the Orioles at home, McClanahan pitched four innings in a game that the Rays ultimately won 6-5. However, he did surrender five runs on five hits, with three walks and five strikeouts.
In this game against the Astros, McClanahan will be making his third career start against them. In his previous nine innings pitched against the Astros, he has not secured a win, holding an 0-2 record with a 7.00 ERA and a 1.667 WHIP, while striking out five batters and walking five. His only appearance at Minute Maid Park was on October 1, 2022, where he pitched five innings in a 2-1 loss for the Rays, giving up two runs on five hits, one walk, and two Ks.
- The total remained UNDER in 7 of Tampa Bay’s last 9 battles.
- The Tampa Bay Rays are 2-8 SU in their last 10 slug-fests.
- The Rays are 2-8 SU in their last 10 matches against the Houston Astros.
Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros 7/28/2023 Picks, Odds, and Prediction
After experiencing a crushing defeat at the hands of the Rangers in the third and final game of their three-game series on Wednesday, the Houston Astros previously enjoyed a successful run, winning three consecutive matches and six out of their last seven contests. As of Thursday, their record stood at 58-45, placing them two games behind the Rangers for the top spot in the AL West. However, they held a comfortable 2.5-game lead over the Red Sox and occupied the second wild card berth in the American League, ensuring their position in the playoff race.
Despite the setback on Wednesday, Houston did have some notable performances. Jeremy Pena and Alex Bregman contributed with two singles each, with Pena scoring a run and Bregman scoring a run and earning three RBI. Yanier Diaz added to the effort with his 12th home run of the season, and Alex Bregman also managed to hit his 17th home run, albeit in a losing effort. On the pitching front, Framber Valdez (8-7) took the loss after pitching 3.2 innings, allowing six runs on eight hits, with two walks and one strikeout.
Astros pitcher Cristian Javier is set to make his 20th start of the year in this game. He holds a solid record of 7-2, along with a 4.32 ERA, a 1.216 WHIP, 33 walks, and an impressive 94 Ks in 102 innings. However, in his most recent start against the A’s on the road, he faced some challenges. Over 5.2 innings, he conceded two runs on six hits, with six walks, and five Ks, resulting in a 4-1 loss for Houston. Looking at his last three starts, Javier hasn’t been at his best, earning a record of 0-1 with a 7.80 ERA, a 1.47 WHIP, eight walks, and 16 strikeouts across 15 innings.
In this upcoming game, Javier will face the Rays for the fourth time in his career. Historically, he has performed well against them, boasting a record of 2-0 with an impressive 1.69 ERA, a 0.938 WHIP, eight walks, and 17 strikeouts over 16 innings pitched. Throughout his career, Javier has made 49 appearances, with 30 of those being starts. Over this period, he has accumulated a commendable record of 16-7, sporting an impressive 2.62 ERA, a 1.029 WHIP, along with 79 walks and 234 strikeouts across 206 innings.
- The total remained UNDER in 6 of Houston’s last 9 games.
- The Houston Astros are 6-2 SU in their last 8 matches.
- The total stayed UNDER in 4 of Houston’s last 5 slu-outs with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros. The MLB pick for this game is the Houston Astros. Both teams’ starting pitchers have faced recent struggles, but they remain in the playoff contention. McClanahan has only suffered one defeat so far, but he has recorded four consecutive no-decisions. Unfortunately, during that stretch, he has pitched more than four innings in a game only once. On the other hand, Javier’s latest start resulted in his second defeat of the year, even though it came against a weaker opponent like the A’s. He has been facing difficulties since June 3, as he has not secured a win in any of his previous seven outings.
Considering the challenging time the pitchers are having in this matchup, the team with the momentum in their favor seems like the better choice. Given Tampa Bay’s recent struggles, Houston has an opportunity to secure a victory, especially since they are playing at home. The prediction for the outcome of this game favors Houston, with a forecasted score of 5-3.
MLB Starting Time: 8:10 PM ET
Location: Minute Maid Park, TX
Date: Friday, July 28, 2023
TV: MLBN
MLB Odds: Houston Astros -105
MLB Totals: 8.5
