Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics Prediction 9-12-24 MLB Picks

The Oakland Athletics and the Houston Astros meet Thursday in MLB action from Minute Maid Park. Here’s a Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics prediction. This will be the final installment in a three-game series. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Astros vs A’s pick.

Oakland Athletics Betting Preview

The A’s played the Detroit Tigers in their weekend series. Oakland won 7-6 Friday but lost the next pair. Following a 4-3 win over the Astros in their opener, in game two, Oakland returned from an early deficit for a 5-4 win. Starter Joey Estes finished with 6.2 innings and two earned runs.

In the starter slot for Thursday, the A’s are going with Mitch Spence. So far Spence is 7-9 with a 4.42 ERA in 31 games (20 starts) during his rookie campaign.

Houston Astros Betting Preview

Over on the Astros’ side, they took on the Arizona Diamondbacks in their last set. Houston won the first two before a 12-6 loss Sunday. In Wednesday’s matchup, the Astros were out-hit 10-9 in the loss. Hunter Brown put up 5.0 innings with five earned in the start.

It’ll be Framber Valdez in the starter slot for the Astros on Thursday. So far Valdez is 14-6 with a 2.97 ERA in 25 starts. Valdez is 67-40 with a 3.32 ERA in 154 career games (132 starts). The Astros will face the Angels (twice), Padres, and Mariners following this series.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Athletics’ last seven day games against AL West opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Each of the Astros’ last five home games after playing the previous day have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Athletics’ last three day games against AL West opponents.

Houston Astros Player Prop Facts

• Ben Gamel has hit a home run in each of his two previous appearances in day games against AL teams that held a losing record.
• Ben Gamel has scored a run in 10 of his last 11 appearances with his team as a home favorite.
• Kyle Tucker has recorded at least one RBI in four of his last five appearances in day games against teams that held a losing record.
• Framber Valdez has recorded eight or more strikeouts in three of his last four appearances against AL opponents.
• Yordan Alvarez has recorded two or more total bases in each of the Astros’ last seven games as favorites against AL West opponents.
• Framber Valdez has recorded a win in each of his last seven appearances in day games against AL teams that held a losing record.
• Jose Altuve has recorded at least one hit in each of his last eight appearances in day games against AL teams that held a losing record.
• Jose Altuve has recorded a Double in four of the Astros’ last five games.
• Jose Altuve has recorded at least one Single in each of his last eight appearances in day games against AL teams that held a losing record.
• Yordan Alvarez ranks 3rd amongst qualified players for On Base Percentage (.397) this season.

Oakland Athletics Player Prop Facts

• Shea Langeliers has hit at least one home run in three of his last four appearances in day games against AL West teams that held a winning record.
• Lawrence Butler has recorded a Double in four of his last five road appearances against AL opponents.
• Brent Rooker has recorded at least one RBI in seven of his last eight road appearances after playing the previous day.
• Brent Rooker has recorded at least one Single in each of the Athletics’ last five road games against AL West opponents that held a winning record.
• Lawrence Butler has recorded at least one total base in each of his last 19 appearances.
• Lawrence Butler has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 19 appearances.
• Ryan Noda has scored at least one run in each of his last five appearances against the Astros after playing the previous day.
• Brent Rooker ranks 5th amongst qualified players for Slugging Percentage (.577) this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Houston Astros rank T2nd in the league for strikeouts this season (1327).
• The Houston Astros rank 2nd in the league for opponent batting average this season (.229).
• The Oakland Athletics rank 27th in the league for strikeouts against this season (1349).
• The Oakland Athletics rank 27th in the league for strikeouts this season (1144).

Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics Prediction

I’ll stick with the Astros. The line’s too thick to mess with, though. Valdez has a couple of really good starts under his belt lately. In his last pair, Valdez is 1-0 with 14.0 innings, zero earned runs, two hits, and six walks. As for Spence, he’s been pretty solid himself with four earned over his last 14.2 innings of work.

On Wednesday the Astros coughed up three runs in the sixth inning and couldn’t come back from there. There were a few good offensive performances in the lineup, though. I like Houston to recover Thursday in a victory.