Astros vs. A’s Thursday Prediction
The Houston Astros have won seven straight games and will look to make it eight consecutive when they visit the Oakland A’s at 3:35 p.m. ET. Will under bettors finally cash a game in this series when the American League West rivals wrap the series up on Thursday?
Game Snapshot & Odds
963 Houston Astros (-170) at 964 Oakland A’s (+160); 7.5 runs
Thursday, June 14, 2018
3:35 p.m. ET, Oakland Coliseum
TV: HOU (ATTH)
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Public Betting Trends
Oddsmakers from online sportsbooks currently list the Astros as a -170 favorite. As of this writing, 76% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Astros to beat the A’s on the moneyline. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our MLB Public Betting Page for updated figures on this game.
Astros’ Verlander strikes out nine in victory over Rangers
Justin Verlander yielded three runs in six innings and struck out nine Friday in a victory over the Rangers. It’s the first time Verlander has given up three runs since April 3, so at least that’s something of a moral victory for the Rangers in what turned out to be a 7-3 game. Verlander, Collin McHugh and Will Harris combined for 13 strikeouts. Verlander improved to 8-2 with a 1.45 ERA.
A’s Montas pitches club past Royals
Frankie Montas pitched two-run ball for 7 2/3 innings as the A’s beat the Royals on Friday. It’s been a pretty awesome start to the season for Montas; he’s 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA since his callup at the end of last month. It does need to be factored in that those starts have come against a Diamondbacks team in an awful slump and now two straight against a Royals team that’s batting Alcides Escobar second in the order. Montas has obvious talent, but we wouldn’t go activating him in mixed leagues right now. His next start will come against the Astros.
MLB Betting Trends
Houston
The Astros are 5-0 in their last five road games versus Oakland and 26-8 in their last 34 games versus the A’s overall.
Oakland
The over is now 9-2-1 in the last 11 meetings between these two teams and is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Oakland.
Prediction:
I’ve botched the first two games of this series by going with the under. In Wednesday night’s game, the Astros covered the over by themselves after just two innings. Nevertheless, I do like the under again on Thursday. The under is 7-2 in Verlander’s last nine starts, is 6-2 in his last eight road outings and is 7-1 in his last eight starts versus a team with a winning record. On the other side, the under is 13-4 in the A’s lat 17 home games, is 12-3 in their last 15 home games versus a right-handed starter, and is 9-4-2 in their last 15 games versus a right-handed starter.
The Pick: Astros/A’s under 7.5