Rays vs. Astros Thursday Prediction
The Astros will attempt to win their seventh consecutive game while also sweeping the Rays on Thursday afternoon when the two teams conclude their series from Minute Maid Park at 2:10 p.m. ET. Will the Rays salvage one game in this series?
Game Snapshot & Odds
915 Tampa Bay Rays (+190) at 916 Houston Astros (-233); 8.5 runs
Thursday, August 29, 2019
2:10 p.m. ET, Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX
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Public Betting Trends
According to our MLB Public Betting Chart page, 71% of the betting tickets are on the Astros to beat the Rays on the moneyline.
Tampa Bay Rays Fantasy Spin
Ji-Man Choi had a two-run homer and a double off the Astros’ Gerrit Cole on Wednesday. The double just missed being a second homer. Choi is hitting .218/.362/.400 in 19 games since the Rays made the decision to keep him and send down Nate Lowe to make room for Jesus Aguilar on the roster. The .762 OPS is pretty much a match for his .771 mark on the year. That’s not dreadful, but it’s not a match for what Lowe’s done in limited action, and Lowe should get a chance to eat into his playing time next month.
Houston Astros Fantasy Spin
Alex Bregman went 3-for-4 with two doubles Wednesday in the Astros’ 8-6 takedown of the Rays. Bregman is up to 30 doubles to go along with his 32 homers. He had 10 doubles and 21 homers through his first 77 games this season, but he’s done on a doubles tear since then, delivering 20 in his last 51 games.
MLB Betting Trends
Tampa Bay
The Rays are winless in their last four games, with all four losses coming on the road.
Houston
The Astros have won all four of Zack Greinke’s four starts.
Prediction:
The Rays are heavy underdogs but I still find some value in their runline odds. They’re 4-1 in Andrew Kittredge’s last five starts and are a perfect 5-0 in their last five games after dropping the first two matchups in a series. They’re 11-5 in their last 16 games after scoring five runs or more in their previous game and are 10-4 in their last 14 contests versus a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. The Astros, meanwhile, have dropped four out of their last five games when playing the third game of a series.
The Pick: Tampa Bay Rays +1.5 (+105)