Going into game three of this AL West showdown, the Rangers (90-72, 50-31 home) are giving the start to Jordan Montgomery. On the other side, the Astros (90-72, 51-30 away) are rolling with Justin Verlander. Don’t miss my prediction for today’s Houston Astros versus Texas Rangers game in Arlington.

HOUSTON ASTROS VS TEXAS RANGERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Texas Rangers -116

This game will be played at Globe Life Field at 5:07 ET on Friday, October 20th.

WHY BET THE TEXAS RANGERS:

  • The Rangers have gone 7-3 in their ten games at home.
  • In their five most recent games as the favorite, the Astros have gone just 2-3 straight-up.
  • The Rangers are 3-1 in Jordan Montgomery’s last four starts.

HOUSTON ASTROS HAVE BEEN GOOD AGAINST THE AL WEST

For the season, the Astros are 90-72 and 86-84 against the runline. In the AL West, they are in 2nd place and have gone 32-20 against division opponents. On the road, Houston have won three straight series. The Astros’ season-long over/under record sits at 90-75.

Justin Verlander has had a successful season thus far, boasting a 13-8 record and an ERA of 3.22. He has been especially impressive on the road, where he has compiled a 7-3 record and 3.69 ERA. At home, his numbers remain strong with a 7-6 record and 3.14 ERA. His WHIP stands at 1.13 and opponents have hit for an average of .223 against him, with a slugging percentage of .364.

The Astros are hoping for a repeat performance from Justin Verlander, who had a quality start in his last outing. Despite the right-hander going 6 2/3 innings and allowing only two runs, the Rangers still emerged victorious with a score of 2-0.

This season, the Astros are 5th in the league at 5.1 runs per game. Over their last ten games, they have a combined batting average of .242 (16th) leading to 4 runs per contest. Overall, they are generating 3.2 walks per game compared to 7 strikeouts. Houston’s on-base percentage of .331 has them 4th in the MLB.

The Astros have seen Yordan Alvarez’s offensive production soar over their last five games, as the slugger leads the team in hits and is batting an impressive .417. On the season, Alvarez has put together a .293 average and driven in 97 runs.

WILL THE TEXAS RANGERS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Overall, the Rangers have a record of 90-72 which has them 1st in the AL West. Texas has rattled off four straight series victories and have an overall series record of 34-18-2. This season, Texas is 50-31 at home and 40-41 on the road.

The Rangers will turn to starter Jordan Montgomery, who has gone 10-11 in 35 appearances this season. His ERA stands at 3.20, and he’s posted a K/9 of 7.92. Additionally, his FIP is 3.56 and OBP is .288.

Jordan Montgomery earned the victory in his latest start, surrendering no earned runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings against the Astros. The Rangers emerged victorious with a 2-0 scoreline.

Over their last five games, the Rangers are ranked 17th in the league in scoring at 2.6 runs per game. Their season-long scoring average of 5.4 per contest puts them 3rd in baseball. In terms of on-base percentage, Texas is 3rd, with an OBP currently sitting at .337. The team’s collective batting average is .263 (2nd).

Adolis García is the top slugger for the Texas Rangers in 2023, leading the team with 39 home runs and 107 RBIs. His slugging percentage stands at a robust .508 for the season.