Houston Astros at Oakland Athletics Betting Preview
The Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics are set to start a four-game series in Oakland on Thursday. Houston is 53-43 after their win in Denver on Wednesday. The Astros remain five games behind the Texas Rangers in the American League West.
For Oakland, they are winners of back-to-back games over Boston. The Athletics are now 27-71, still with the worst record in all of Major League Baseball.
The Houston Astros are big favorites in this game on Thursday. Houston is listed at -180, while the Athletics are at +155. The total for this game on Thursday is at 8.5 runs.
Astros Looking to Gain Ground
The Astros continue to find ways to win and remain one of the favorites to win the World Series. Houston is getting timely hitting, and on Wednesday got RBIs from Jose Abreu and Chas McCormick to win the game. McCormick hit his 11th home run of the season in the win.
The Astros are just outside the Top 10 in runs scored, with 4.7 per game, while they are hitting .250 as a team. On the pitching side, Houston has one of the best ERA’s in all of Major League Baseball, at 3.78 on the season.
JP France is slated to throw for the Houston Astros in this game. France is 4-3 on the season, with a 3.31 earned run average. The right-hander from New Orleans has 50 strikeouts on the season, throwing in 70.2 innings. France was roughed up in his last outing, lasting just 4.1 innings and giving up nine hits.
Oakland’s Struggles are Mighty
The Oakland Athletics are not doing well this season. In fact, the Athletics are dead last in runs scored, hits, and batting average, and also in runs allowed and earned run average. Things have not gone well. The Athletics, though, did spoil the Red Sox party with back-to-back wins. Oakland had lost eight straight games before these back-to-back wins.
Oakland will turn to Hogan Harris in this one. Hogan Harris is 26 years old and made just four starts on the season. In 47 innings, he has allowed 47 hits and struck out 40 batters. The last time he pitched was July 15th, where he went four innings, allowing six boots and five earned runs against Minnesota.
Brent Rooker is the top offensive threat for the Athletics this season. Rooker has 16 home runs which leads the team. In the win on Wednesday, Tony Kemp, J.J. Bleday, Jordan Diaz, and Cody Thomas all had two hits in the game. Jace Peterson went deep for Oakland as well; it was his 6th of the season.
Houston Smacks Oakland
The Houston Astros are a much better team and should have no problem winning this game. Oakland will go down as one of the worst teams in all of Major League Baseball. Take Houston to win this game, and take them with confidence. Betting the Houston Astros -180 is the easy take here.
