With Dane Dunning set to oppose J.P. France in Friday night’s Rangers vs. Astros matchup, what’s the smart bet in Game 1 of this series between division rivals?
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
965 Texas Rangers (+118) at 966 Houston Astros (-138); o/u 9.5
8:10 p.m. ET, Friday, April 12, 2024
Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX
Rangers vs. Astros: Public Bettors Backing Underdog
As of this writing, our MLB Public Betting Page shows that 58% of bets are on the Rangers’ moneyline. That said, this page is updated frequently so make sure that you click on the link provided so that you’re getting the most updated information.
Seager goes 0-for-4 with four strikeouts
Corey Seager went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in a loss to the Athletics on Thursday. Seager had no luck against JP Sears nor the Oakland bullpen. It probably isn’t fair to just single him out, as the Rangers got just one hit in this contest with eight strikeouts. Seager is still hitting a strong .311 after this effort, with the only nitpick of his fantasy campaign being the .400 slugging mark not quite what fantasy managers are hoping for.
Altuve collects three hits in loss to KC
Jose Altuve went 3-for-4 with a double Thursday in a loss to the Royals. Altuve also got on via walk in a strong game for him and another blowout loss for his team. While the Astros have scuffled the 33-year-old has had little to do with that, as the three-hit effort has him slashing .370/.452/.648 over his first 14 games.
Rangers vs. Astros MLB Betting Trends
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Texas’ last 15 games against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Houston’s last 9 games when playing at home against Texas
Astros are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Texas
Rangers are 13-1 SU in their last 14 games on the road
Rangers vs. Astros MLB BETTING PREDICTION
Take the over. Neither Dane Dunning nor J.P. France have been bad in their respective outings this season, there are also trouble signs under the surface. France allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks across 5 2/3 innings to take the loss versus the same Rangers team that he’ll face tonight. There was traffic on the bases all night against France, who was able to limit the damage before being pulled in the sixth inning. I doubt he’ll be as fortunate two starts in a row.
Dunning, meanwhile, allowed three runs on four hits and three walks over 6 2/3 innings on Sunday, striking out seven in the process. That was good, but his velocity is noticeably down in 2024. His fastball is averaging just 88.5 mph, which is a bad sign for things to come.
Rangers vs. Astros MLB Playoffs Prediction: OVER 9.5