The Astros (64-49, 33-24 away) travel to take on the Orioles (70-42, 35-21 home) in game one of this American League matchup. Framber Valdez is getting the start for the Astros while Grayson Rodriguez is starting for the Orioles. See who I like to pick up the win in today’s Houston Astros vs. Baltimore Orioles showdown at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

HOUSTON ASTROS VS BALTIMORE ORIOLES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Baltimore Orioles +110

This game will be played at Oriole Park at Camden Yards at 7:05 ET on Tuesday, August 8th.

WHY BET THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES:

  • In their previous five games, the Orioles have a record of 4-1.
  • The Orioles have gone 6-4 in their ten games at home.
  • Grayson Rodriguez has done a good job at avoiding the long-ball of late, having not given up a home-run in each of his past four starts.

HOUSTON ASTROS TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN AL WEST

This season, the Astros have played a total of 35 series and are above .500 at 19-14-2. On the road, Houston is 33-24 and 31-25 at home. Their overall record of 64-49 has the Astros sitting 2nd in the AL West.

Starter Framber Valdez has been a steady presence in the Astros’ rotation this season, boasting an overall record of 9-7 across 21 appearances. His ERA stands at 3.07, and he has recorded a K/9 figure of 9.4. Additionally, Valdez’s FIP is 3.10 and his OBP is .272.

The Guardians were unable to solve Framber Valdez in his last start, as the Astros ace hurled nine innings of no-hit baseball. The 2-0 victory was credited to Valdez, who has had a strong start to the 2023 season.

During their last ten games, Houston is the 12th ranked offense in terms of batting average. In these games, they have hit a combined .244 and are averaging 5.4 runs per game. Across the entire season, the Astros are hitting .248 with an OBP of .320 while averaging 4.8 runs per contest. This figure puts them 10th in the league.

The Astros’ Kyle Tucker is the team’s leader in hits this season, boasting a batting average of .295. He has a slugging percentage of .505 and an on-base percentage of .375 heading into the game.

WILL THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

The Orioles enter today’s game with an overall record of 70-42 which includes going 44-33 against teams with above .500 records. As of today, they are 1st in the AL East. Across their 35 series, Baltimore is 21-11-3 and have records of 35-21 and 35-21 on the road and at home, respectively.

Grayson Rodriguez will take the mound for the Orioles with a 2-3 record. He has made 14 appearances this season, and his ERA is 6.09. His K/9 rate is 10.06, while his FIP is 4.80 and OBP is .337.

Grayson Rodriguez’s last start ended in a 4-1 loss to the Blue Jays. The right-hander surrendered three runs on two hits over 5 2/3 innings.

The Orioles’ offense comes into today’s game with a collective batting average of .253 and are averaging 4.9 runs per game for the season. Looking at their ten most recent games, Baltimore has gone deep nine times, which is ranked 11th in that time. To date, the team’s OPS is .743 to go along with an on base percentage of .321.

Anthony Santander has been one of the Orioles’ most consistent offensive contributors in 2023. The outfielder is currently batting .256 with 63 RBIs and 20 home runs on the season.