Braxton Garrett will get the start for the Marlins (62-57, 36-25 home) as they host the Astros (68-51, 35-25 away) at loanDepot Park. The Astros will give the starting nod to Framber Valdez. Check out my prediction for game one of this interleague matchup between the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins.

HOUSTON ASTROS VS MIAMI MARLINS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Houston Astros -140

This game will be played at loanDepot Park at 6:40 ET on Monday, August 14th.

WHY BET THE HOUSTON ASTROS:

  • Over their last five games on the road, Houston has a straight-up record of 3-2.
  • The Astros have put together a 3-2 record in their last five games as the favorite.
  • In Framber Valdez’s three most recent starts, the Astros are 2-1.

HOUSTON ASTROS LOOK TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS ON THE ROAD

Leading up to today’s game, the Astros are 2nd in the AL West on a record of 68-51. Overall, they have played in 37 different series, going 20-14-3. When playing above .500 teams, the Astros are 68-51, and currently hold win percentages of 55.9% at home and 58.3% on the road.

Framber Valdez is 9-7 with a 3.30 ERA heading into the game. On the road, he has an ERA of 4.72 and a record of 5-2, while at home he has posted a 4-5 mark and an ERA of 3.17. His season WHIP stands at 1.09, with opponents batting .227 against him and slugging .354.

In his most recent start, Framber Valdez gave up six runs over seven innings of work. Despite the eight hits he allowed to Baltimore, the Astros emerged victorious with a 7-6 scoreline. Unfortunately for Valdez, he was not credited with the win and instead received a no decision.

The Astros have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 15 home runs over their last ten games. Compared to other clubs, this is 4th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 8th in home runs and 11th in slugging percentage. Overall, Houston is averaging 4.9 runs per game (7th).

Over the last ten games, Kyle Tucker has been the Astros’ most prolific power hitter, leading the team with three home runs. His season-long total stands at 22 long balls, and he’s batting an impressive .297 overall.

WILL THE MIAMI MARLINS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

This season, the Marlins have played a total of 37 series and are above .500 at 19-17-1. On the road, Miami is 26-32 and 36-25 at home. Their overall record of 62-57 has the Marlins sitting 3rd in the NL East.

Miami Marlins pitcher Braxton Garrett has been impressive in the 2023 season, boasting a 6-3 record and an ERA of 4.08. His ERA on the road is an impressive 2.71, while his home ERA stands at 6.33. Garrett’s WHIP for the season is 1.19, with opposing teams having a batting average of .255 against him and a slugging percentage of .430.

The Marlins emerged victorious in the last game Braxton Garrett pitched, besting the Reds 3-2. The left-hander hurled six frames, surrendering six hits and two earned runs to add a win to his ledger.

Offensively, Miami is ranked 24th in the league with an average of 4.1 runs per game. When looking over their last five matchups, the Marlins averaged 4.6 runs per contest, which is 5th best in that span. In terms of their power numbers, Miami is 25th in all of baseball, with a total of 111 home runs.

Jorge Soler has been one of the Marlins’ most productive hitters in 2023. His batting average of .244 is accompanied by 28 home runs and 62 RBIs.