Astros vs. Athletics Prediction and Odds for Friday, July 8 (Yordan Alvarez is too much for Oakland)
By Josh Yourish
The Astros are now the second best team in baseball at 54-28, still six wins behind the Yankees, but Houston has won nine of 10. Oakland on the other hand is one of two teams yet to reach 30 wins. The A’s are currently 28-56 heading into this three-game weekend series with Houston.
Tonight, Oakland sends out Paul Blackburn to the mound and Houston hands the ball to Jose Urquidy.
Odds are available for tonight’s game at WynnBET Sportsbook.
Astros vs. Athletics Odds, Run Line and Total
Run Line
- Astros -1.5 (-110)
- Athletics +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline
- Astros -175
- Athletics +160
Total
- 7.5 (Over -110 / Under -110)
Astros vs. Athletics Prediction and Pick
This may be Oakland’s best chance to steal a game from the first place Astros with Paul Blackburn on the mound. Blackburn is their best pitcher with a 6-3 record and a 2.90 ERA. However, it might also be the best time to get value on the Astros in this series.
Blackburn has already faced Houston once this year, which was a 5-1 Astros win. He allowed four runs on five hits, two of them home runs. The stars for Houston seemed to have Blackburn's number in that outing, Jose Altuve homered and Yordan Alvarez hit one off Blackburn and one off reliever, A.J. Puk.
If Alvarez has a pitcher’s number then he can carry the Astros to a win. The 25-year-old DH has a 1.076 OPS, 26 home runs, 59 RBI, a 202 OPS+, and has a weighted on-base average of .449 which ranks in the top 1% of the league. He doesn’t just hit the ball, he hits it hard. His average exit velocity is 96.0 MPH, also top 1% and his hard hit rate is 61.2%, you guessed it, top 1%.
Yordan Alvarez is just too much for Oakland to handle, as a team they have 60 home runs, Alvarez might reach that himself, by the end of the year. Blackburn pitching just means there is value betting Houston.
Pick: Astros -1.5 (-110)
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