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Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers Preview: Astros take care of their in-state rivals
The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers will kick-off a four-game series in Houston tonight. The two teams met in a previous four-game set in April that saw the Astros take three wins. While Houston is clearly the better team, the better team does not always win in baseball. We will dive into some statistics to make an educated decision on this game.
Below, you will find a brief preview of each team followed by a prediction for the game.
Houston Astros Preview:
"Mr. Altuve & the Big Steppers" - @ Houston Astros
The Astros just lost their three-game series against the Boston Red Sox, which was their first series loss since May 1st. Tonight, the Astros look to get back on track with their Opening Day starter Framber Valdez on the mound. The Houston pitching staff has been spectacular to begin the season. The pitching staff has the third best ERA in the MLB, and the second best bullpen ERA in the league. These are all very good signs as they come up against an offense that has struggled to consistently produce runs. The Astros offense has also struggled with consistency. However, they have the talent to put on a show on any given night. Led by Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and Alex Bregmam, the Astros will look to get back into the win column. The key to victory for Houston tonight is to get a quality start from Framber Valdez and timely offensive production with runners on base.
Texas Rangers Preview:
"SWEEP dreams, y'all" - @ Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers are coming off an impressive series sweep against the Los Angeles Angels. Although the Rangers sit with a decent 17-19 record, both their offense and pitching staff rank in the bottom 10 of many important categories. Glenn Otto will start the game for the Rangers. Otto has a 1-1 record and a 6.38 ERA through four starts on the season. He has faced this Houston lineup once already, giving up two earned runs in four innings of work. In his last start, Glenn Otto was hit around by the Boston Red Sox to the tune of eight earned runs. Offensively, Texas is led by Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, and Adolis Garcia. The key to a Rangers victory tonight is for these three guys to produce runs for this offense and get Valdez out of the game early.
Pick/Prediction: Houston Astros -1.5 (-105)
The Astros are 9-4 at home this season, and the Rangers have a 7-7 record away from their home park. The pitching advantage goes to Houston, and the offensive edge also falls into Houston's hands. We're going to trust the better team to take care of business at home tonight. Let's go Astros!
