Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros Prediction 8-13-24 MLB Picks | Sports Chat Place (2024)

Houston Astros (62-55) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (59-58)
August 13, 2024 6:50 pm EDT
The Line: Tampa Bay Rays +117 / Houston Astros -137; Over/Under: +8
(Get latest betting odds)

The Houston Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays meet Tuesday in MLB action from Tropicana Field. Here’s a Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros prediction. This will be the second installment in a three-game series. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Rays vs Astros pick.

Houston Astros Betting Preview

Over the weekend Houston took on the Boston Red Sox. The Astros did well in that series, taking a sweep with wins 8-4, 5-4 and 10-2. In the Monday opener versus Tampa Bay, the Astros cruised to a 6-1 win. Starter Framber Valdez put up 5.2 innings and one earned run.

In the starter slot for the Astros on Tuesday will be Yusei Kikuchi. This year Kikuchi is 5-9 with a 4.62 ERA in 24 starts. Kikuchi is 37-46 with a 4.70 career ERA in 158 games (146 starts).

Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview

Over on the Rays’ side, they played the Baltimore Orioles in their last set. Tampa Bay lost 4-1 and 7-5 in the first pair, but staved off the sweep with a 2-1 win on Sunday. In Monday’s matchup the Rays were out-hit 10-4 in the defeat. Starting pitcher Taj Bradley logged 4.1 innings and six earned runs in a tough outing.

Shane Baz will start for Tampa Bay on Tuesday. This year Baz is 0-1 with a 4.30 ERA in six starts. Baz is 3-3 with a 4.13 ERA in 15 career starts.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Astros’ last four night games after playing the previous day have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the Rays’ last four games against AL West opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Rays’ last six night games.

Tampa Bay Rays Player Prop Facts

• Brandon Lowe has hit a home run in four of his last five Tuesday appearances with the Rays as underdogs.
• Brandon Lowe has recorded two or more total bases in seven of his last eight Tuesday appearances.
• Taylor Walls has scored a run in each of his last three home appearances against AL West opponents that held a winning record.
• Brandon Lowe has recorded at least one RBI in seven of his last eight Tuesday appearances.
• Dylan Carlson has recorded a hit in seven of his eight previous appearances against opponents that held a winning record.
• Taylor Walls has recorded at least one Single in four of the Rays’ last five night games against AL West opponents that held a winning record.

Houston Astros Player Prop Facts

• Alex Bregman has hit a home run in each of the Astros’ last three games against AL East opponents.
• Alex Bregman has recorded two or more total bases in each of the Astros’ last nine road games against AL opponents.
• Yusei Kikuchi has recorded seven or more strikeouts in six of his last seven appearances against AL East opponents.
• Yordan Alvarez has scored at least one run in each of the Astros’ last nine road games against AL East opponents.
• Yordan Alvarez has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Astros’ last six games against AL opponents.
• Alex Bregman has recorded at least one hit in each of the Astros’ last 10 road games.
• Yordan Alvarez has recorded at least one Single in each of the Astros’ last seven games against the Rays.

Tampa Bay Rays vs Houston Astros Prediction

I’ll stay with the Astros. We should have a fun starter matchup here, though. Kikuchi has pitched pretty well in his last pair, totaling 11.0 innings and four earned in those two for a 1-0 record. As for Baz, he’s got eight earned runs over his last 15.2 innings of work.

On Monday the Astros didn’t have too many issues, bagging four runs in the third inning and coasting on a nice pitching performance from there. The bullpen was great on 3.1 innings, no earned, one hit, no walks and four strikeouts. Houston should be set up well for another W on Tuesday.