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(MLB) Houston vs. Texas,
Money Line: -145.00 Houston (Away)
Result: Win
Money Line: -145.00 Houston (Away)
Result: Win
The set-up: No team will be able to catch the Houston Astros in the AL West but the Angels, Mariners and Rangers are all still alive in the wild card hunt. The Rangers followed Friday's 6-4 win over the Astros with an 8-3 win Saturday night and have now moved within 2 1/2 games of the AL's second wild card by posting three straight wins. Texas goes for its fourth win in a row, as well as a three-game sweep of the first-place Astros Sunday afternoon in Arlington. Houston has lost the first five of its eight-game road trip and while the Astros still own a 12-game margin tin the division, they have lost 11 of their last 14 games.
The pitching matchup: Dallas Keuchel (9-2 & 2.87 ERA) will make his fourth start since a neck injury sidelined him for close to two months and will square off against the Rangers' Andrew Cashner (7-8 & 3.36 ERA). Keuchel has not looked like the same pitcher who went on the DL with a 9-0 record and 1.67 ERA. He has not pitched more than five innings in any of his last three starts (12 innings total), allowing 14 ERs on 33 hits for an ERA of 10.50 (he's 0-2 and the team 1-2). His ERA for the season has risen more than a full run (1.67 to 2.87) during his time back. Keuchel improved to 6-7 with a 4.04 ERA in 19 career starts against the Rangers (team is 9-10) in his last outing before the injury on June 2, when he scattered three hits over six scoreless innings. Cashner comes in off three consecutive wins, defeating Seattle 5-1 after allowing one run on six hits in six innings on August 2. He has also won three straight at home, with his last setback at Globe Life Park coming on June 3 (it was against Houston, though).
The pick: Cashner's woes against Houston have been real in 2017. He entered this season with a 2-2 lifetime record versus the Astros but has lost his first three meetings this year against Houston, allowing 11 ERs on 24 hits over 16 innings (6.19 ERA). I expect a huge bounce-back here from Keuchel and for Cashner to once again have trouble with Houston. Make the Astros an 8* play.
The pitching matchup: Dallas Keuchel (9-2 & 2.87 ERA) will make his fourth start since a neck injury sidelined him for close to two months and will square off against the Rangers' Andrew Cashner (7-8 & 3.36 ERA). Keuchel has not looked like the same pitcher who went on the DL with a 9-0 record and 1.67 ERA. He has not pitched more than five innings in any of his last three starts (12 innings total), allowing 14 ERs on 33 hits for an ERA of 10.50 (he's 0-2 and the team 1-2). His ERA for the season has risen more than a full run (1.67 to 2.87) during his time back. Keuchel improved to 6-7 with a 4.04 ERA in 19 career starts against the Rangers (team is 9-10) in his last outing before the injury on June 2, when he scattered three hits over six scoreless innings. Cashner comes in off three consecutive wins, defeating Seattle 5-1 after allowing one run on six hits in six innings on August 2. He has also won three straight at home, with his last setback at Globe Life Park coming on June 3 (it was against Houston, though).
The pick: Cashner's woes against Houston have been real in 2017. He entered this season with a 2-2 lifetime record versus the Astros but has lost his first three meetings this year against Houston, allowing 11 ERs on 24 hits over 16 innings (6.19 ERA). I expect a huge bounce-back here from Keuchel and for Cashner to once again have trouble with Houston. Make the Astros an 8* play.
