Rays vs. Astros Prediction: Rays Aim to Solidify Top Spot in American League

The Tampa Bay Rays' magic number for the top spot in the American League is "1."

The Rays are six games ahead of the Houston Astros for the American League’s top playoff spot with just six games to play. 

To make things even sweeter, they face Houston in a three-game set beginning today with a chance to clinch the AL’s top seed and guarantee that they’ll face a wild card team in the ALDS.  

Tampa Bay won the American League last season, but there is no guarantee that it will have a similar path this season with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays all potentially waiting in a Wild Card matchup. 

Tonight, Tampa Bay will send Michael Wacha (3-5, 5.49 ERA) to the mound against Jose Urquidy (8-3, 3.56 ERA). Urquidy missed a lot of the 2021 season with a shoulder injury, but he's 2-0 in September through his four starts. 

WynnBET Sportsbook has the Astros as a -135 favorite at home (Tampa Bay is +115 on the moneyline) with the total set at nine runs. The over (-120) is favored to the under (+100).

Astros vs. Rays Prediction and Pick

Wacha has been in and out of the rotation for the Rays this season, and he was rocked in his last start against the Blue Jays, allowing six earned runs and seven hits in six innings on Sept. 15. 

Houston boasts the league’s No. 1 offense in terms of runs per game, and I think that it is able to take advantage of Wacha in this one. Urquidy has allowed more than four runs in a start just once this entire season, but he was tagged for four his last time out against the Angels in a win. 

The Astros have fared well in his starts, going 12-6, and I think this is a great matchup for Houston’s offense. Wacha may be on a short leash since his last outing came out of the bullpen on Sept. 21, but I’ll take Houston to win their first game of the series and keep its hopes of earning the top spot in the American League alive for another day.

PREDICTION: Astros -135

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