Rays vs Astros Pick – MLB Predictions & Odds 4/26/23
Houston Astros (13-11) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (20-4)
April 26, 2023 6:40 pm EDT
The Line: Tampa Bay Rays -105 / Houston Astros -116; Over/Under: 8
(Get latest betting odds)
The Houston Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays meet Wednesday in MLB action from Tropicana Field. This will be the finale in a three-game series. Tampa Bay secured a five-run win in the opener, then in game two Houston returned the favor with a five-run win of their own. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Houston Astros
Houston had a brief 3-2 lead in the Monday opener of this series, but ultimately fell 8-3. On Tuesday in game two the Astros scored all their runs in the fifth inning during a 5-0 shutout victory. Starting pitcher Luis Garcia put up 6.0 innings with three hits and two walks.
As starter for the Wednesday finale, it’ll be Houston’s Hunter Brown. In four starts this year Brown is 2-0 with a 3.09 ERA and 24 Ks in 23.1 innings. Brown is 4-0 with a 2.06 ERA in 11 career games (six starts).
Tampa Bay Rays
Over on the Tampa Bay side, they out-hit the Astros 14-6 in the Monday opener, shutting the opposition down after the third. On Tuesday the Rays were out-hit 11-5 in the loss. Drew Rasmussen managed 4.2 innings in the start with five earned on nine hits and two walks.
In the starting role for Wednesday’s game, Tampa Bay will go with Calvin Faucher. In six games (two starts) without a decision this year, Faucher has a 5.91 ERA and nine Ks in 10.2 innings of work.
ANDREW’S FREE PICK
I’m probably going to try the Astros in this one. Brown does need a bounce-back effort in the start, though. He’s coming off 4.2 innings with four earned on seven hits and two walks in Atlanta during a no-decision. Prior to that however, Brown had zero earned over 14.0 innings across two starts. In Tuesday’s game, Houston got a very nice start out of Garcia and the bullpen allowed just two hits with no walks in the remaining 3.0 innings. The Astros will need another good pitching performance to put this one away, and I think they’ve got a good shot at it.