The top two teams in the AL West face off Friday night with first place on the line as the Houston Astros (55-55) host the Texas Rangers (55-54) in the series opener on Apple TV. This will be the final meeting of the regular season between the two rivals, with the Astros currently holding a 6-4 edge in the season series.
The Astros were swept by Baltimore following the All-Star break but have since responded by winning eight of their last nine games, including a sweep of the Los Angeles Angels earlier this week. Houston is firmly in the American League playoff race, sitting just a half-game behind Texas in the AL West and one game out of a Wild Card spot.
The Rangers haven’t enjoyed the same success as Houston to begin the second half, posting a 6-7 record since the break. Texas won a four-game series against Seattle but is coming off back-to-back losses to Tampa Bay after dropping that series.
The Rangers will send veteran right-hander Nathan Eovaldi to the mound Friday night, while Hunter Brown is set to make his 10th start of the season for the Astros, bringing a 3.45 ERA into the matchup.
Rangers vs. Astros Current Odds
Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook lists the Astros as home favorites for Friday night’s series opener with first place in the AL West on the line:
Rangers vs. Astros Predictions
Don’t miss the chance to get in on the action between two rivals battling for the top spot in the division. Head over to Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook and check out the Stats Hub for baseball betting insights and trends to help make more informed wagers like the pick below:
Astros vs. Rangers Best Bet: Nathan Eovaldi Over 6.5 Strikeouts (+115)
Nathan Eovaldi has never been known as an elite strikeout pitcher throughout his career, but he can still miss plenty of bats. The 36-year-old has 130 strikeouts in 122.1 innings this season and is averaging 6.5 strikeouts per start.
Over his last six starts, Eovaldi has recorded eight or more strikeouts in five of them, including a season-high 10 against the Angels on July 9. He’s faced Houston twice this season, striking out eight while allowing no earned runs over seven innings on May 17 before recording six strikeouts across seven innings on May 28. Eovaldi has posted seven or more strikeouts in 12 of his 20 starts this year and fell just short with six strikeouts in three others.
- Astros vs. Rangers Player Prop Pick for July 31: Nathan Eovaldi Over 6.5 Strikeouts (+115)
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props for TEX-HOU
Yordan Álvarez leads MLB with 35 home runs, and his home run prop is drawing the most action of any player prop heading into Friday night’s series opener in Houston:
- Yordan Álvarez – Over 0.5 Home Runs
- Jeremy Peña – Over 0.5 Hits
- Yordan Álvarez – Over 0.5 Hits
- Nathan Eovaldi – To Record 5+ Strikeouts
- Yordan Álvarez – Over 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBI
Rangers vs. Astros Game Info
- 📍 Where: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
- 📅 Date: Friday, July 31
- ⏰ First Pitch: 8:15 PM ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: Apple TV
- ⚾ Probable Pitchers:
- Rangers: Nathan Eovaldi
- Astros: Hunter Brown
More Ways to Bet
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Referenced odds are subject to change.
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