Andrew Heaney will get the start for the Rangers (76-60, 43-26 home) as they host the Astros (77-61, 42-27 away) at Globe Life Field. The Astros will give the starting nod to J.P. France. Check out my prediction for game one of this AL West matchup between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers.

HOUSTON ASTROS VS TEXAS RANGERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Texas Rangers -115

This game will be played at Globe Life Field at 4:05 ET on Monday, September 4th.

WHY BET THE TEXAS RANGERS:

  • The Astros have gone just 2-3 in their last five games.
  • In their five most recent games as the favorite, the Astros have gone just 2-3 straight-up.
  • J.P. France has given up five home runs across his last five starts.

HOUSTON ASTROS TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN AL WEST

Houston comes into the game with an above .500 series record on the road at 13-6. Currently, the Astros are 3rd in the AL West with an overall record of 77-61. Against the runline, they are 69-69 and have an over/under mark of 71-63. On the road, Houston has a runline record of 40-29.

The Astros will look to starter J.P. France as they continue their season, with the right-hander boasting an impressive 10-5 record in 20 appearances thus far. His ERA stands at 3.49, and he has a K/9 of 6.67 to go along with a FIP of 4.39 and an OBP of .305.

J.P. France earned the victory in his latest start, surrendering two earned runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings against Boston. The Astros emerged victorious with a 6-2 scoreline.

This season, the Astros are 6th in the league at 5 runs per game. Over their last five games, they have a combined batting average of .243 (12th) leading to 4 runs per contest. Overall, they are generating 3.4 walks per game compared to 7 strikeouts. Houston’s on-base percentage of .329 has them 7th in the MLB.

Kyle Tucker is the Astros’ home-run leader this season, with 26 long balls and 99 RBIs. His slugging percentage for the year is a robust .511.

WILL THE TEXAS RANGERS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

The Rangers enter today’s game with an overall record of 76-60 which includes going 33-36 against teams with above .500 records. As of today, they are 2nd in the AL West. Across their 42 series, Texas is 25-15-2 and have records of 33-34 and 43-26 on the road and at home, respectively.

Andrew Heaney will take the mound for the Rangers with a 9-6 record in 26 appearances this season. His ERA is 4.16, and his K/9 rate is 9.45. His FIP stands at 4.76, and his OBP is .324.

Andrew Heaney was unable to earn a decision in his last outing against the Mets, despite allowing no runs and five hits. The Rangers were able to eke out a 2-1 victory over New York.

Over their last ten games, the Rangers are ranked 11th in the league in scoring at 4.4 runs per game. Their season-long scoring average of 5.5 per contest puts them 3rd in baseball. In terms of on-base percentage, Texas is 3rd, with an OBP currently sitting at .338. The team’s collective batting average is .267 (2nd).

The Texas Rangers’ Marcus Semien leads the team in hits this season, boasting a .273 batting average. He has also compiled a .451 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .345.