Rays vs. Astros Prediction
Will the league’s hottest team continue their red-hot win streak when the Houston Astros host the struggling Tampa Bay Rays at 8:10PM ET?
Game Snapshot & Odds
963 Tampa Bay Rays at 964 Houston Astros
Monday, June 18, 2018
8:10PM ET – Minute Maid Park
TV: ATSW (Hou); SUN (TB)
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Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers, the Astros are heavily favored, as they are getting odds of -280 to win. The Rays are listed with a money line of +255 on the road, while the over/under total for the contest has been set at 7.5 runs. The public betting for this game is currently unavailable. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our MLB Public Betting Page for updated figures on the game.
Rays back to the reliever
The Rays are coming off a 3-1 win over the Yankees at New York to end a three-game losing streak. Tampa now holds a 33-38 record overall and an 18-22 record on the road. Tampa is averaging just 3.94 runs per game this season while allowing 4.13 per contest.
Tampa will again use a reliever in the starting role as Ryne Stanek takes the mound to open the game tonight. He has started five times and pitched in 15 games this season. He holds a 2.55 ERA with 1.02 WHIP. Stanek has 22 strikeouts with nine walks over 17.2 innings of work. Tampa has lost six of the last seven games he has appeared in.
Astros continue to roll
The Houston Astros are now on an 11-game win streak following a 7-4 victory over the Royals on Sunday. Houston is now holding a 48-25 overall record and 19-14 record at home. The Astros are scoring 5.25 runs per game this year while allowing 3.10 per contest.
Gerrit Cole will be on the mound this evening. Through 14 starts, he carries an 8-1 record with a 2.40 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP. Cole has pitched a total of 93.2 innings this season and has 130 strikeouts with 25 walks.
MLB Betting Trends
Tampa
Tampa has won six straight Monday games and 11 of their last 16 games following a win, but they are just 1-9 in their last 10 on the road.
Houston
The Astros are 17-7 in their last 24 Monday games and 20-6 in their last 26 games against a losing team.
Prediction:
Cole has been dominant on the mound and I think he will shutdown another average lineup today. He has been picking up a lot of strikeouts and is being opposed by a reliever who won’t go very long. The reliever experiment has led to a lot of losing for the Rays, but they continue to go with it. I think Houston wins, and wins big as they beat up on the obscure pitching routine.
The Pick: Houston Astros -1.5 (-145)