After taking the first game of this three-game AL West set in Oakland Monday night, the Astros shoot for the series victory when the teams meet again Tuesday night. It’ll be a battle of righties as Christian Javier goes for Houston here against Frankie Montas for the A’s.
How are we playing this game with our free baseball betting pick?
MLB Betting Odds
Tuesday’s baseball betting lines opened Houston and Javier at around -150 over Oakland and Montas, with an over/under of seven runs. Early betting action then dropped the Astros 15 cents to -135.
Houston could also be found getting around +125, giving the run and a half on the run line.
Astros-A’s MLB Betting Preview
Houston grabbed the opener of this series Monday night, 5-1. The Astros hit three home runs Monday while getting a complete-game performance from starter Framber Valdez on their way toward victory.
Houston won as a -150 favorite on the dime line Monday and covered against the run line at a price of +105.
With Monday’s win, the Astros are 6-3 over their last nine games. At 31-18 overall, Houston leads the AL West by four games over the second-place Angels.
With Monday’s loss, Oakland is 1-4 over its last five games. At 20-31 overall, the A’s sit in last place in the AL West, 12 games behind the first-place Astros.
This series is the first meeting this season between these two teams. Last year Houston took the season series from Oakland 11 games to eight.
Tuesday’s Pitching Match-Up
Montas is 6/10 on quality starts this season and two for his last three. Last Thursday, he held Texas to one run and four hits through seven innings, with two walks against 11 strikeouts, although Oakland lost that game 4-1. And over his last three starts, he’s allowed three runs and ten hits through 14 2/3 innings, with three walks against 25 whiffs.
The A’s are only 2-8 with Montas this season, but that’s nowhere near all his fault.
Over four starts against Houston last season, Montas allowed six runs – five earned – and 20 hits through 24 2/3 innings, with seven walks and 29 K’s. Oakland won three of those four games.
Javier is 1/5 on quality starts this year, but some of that is due to a short leash. Three times he’s pitched to within three outs or less of a QS, only to get pulled. Last Wednesday, he held Cleveland scoreless on three hits through 5 2/3 innings, with one walk against nine strikeouts, in a 2-1 Astros victory. And just before that, he held Texas to one run through six innings, although Houston lost that game 3-0.
The Astros are 3-2 with Javier this year and should probably be a game better than that.
Over six appearances against Oakland, last season Javier allowed 13 runs – 12 earned – and 18 hits through 20 total innings of work.
Splits With the Sticks
Houston is batting .236 against right-handed pitching this season, with a .309 team OBP and a .412 team slugging percentage. The Astros have also been held to two runs or less seven times over their last ten games.
Oakland is slashing .207/.270/.316 against right-handed pitching.
The Bullpens
The Houston bullpen owns an ML-best 2.48 ERA this season, along with a 1.11 WHIP.
The A’s pen owns a 3.84 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.
- Get more details: Houston at Oakland 5/31/22 Betting Stats
MLB Betting Trends
- The Astros are 17-12 on the road this season and 18-15 against right-handed starters.
- The A’s are just 7-18 at home this season and 13-21 against RH starters.
Totals Report
- The Under is a lopsided 36-12 in Astros games this season.
- The Under is 25-20 in A’s games.
- The Under is 12-10 at the Oakland Coliseum this season.
- The Under is a combined 11-4 with Montas and Javier this season.
