The Kansas City Royals face off against the Houston Astros in the middle contest of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park in Houston, so we bring you the best betting pick and odds for this American League showdown set for Tuesday, August 24, with the first pitch at 8:10 PM ET. 

Excluding the opening clash of this series, the Royals are 3-1 against the Astros this season after winning a four-game at home last week. Kansas City sits at +212 moneyline odds for Tuesday’s game, while Houston is a firm -230 fave with a total of 9.0 runs on Bovada Sportsbook. 

The Crowns went 6-1 last week

The Kansas City Royals were busy last week, winning six of their seven contests, including those huge three wins over the Astros. However, the 55-68 Crowns were 14 games behind the bottom wild card in the American League on Monday, so their playoff hopes have already gone.

The Royals have dropped half of their first 20 games played in August, posting a 4.07 ERA and a solid .241 batting average against. On the other side of the ball, they’ve scored 81 runs while posting a poor .251/.302/.373 batting line. The Royals have smacked just 17 home runs and 27 doubles during that 20-game stretch.

Brady Singer will take the mound Tuesday in Houston to square off against the Astros for the second time in his career. Last Wednesday, the 25-year-old righty took a no-decision in a 3-2 win over Houston, allowing a couple of earned runs on six hits and two walks across 6.2 frames of work. Singer is only 3-8 in 21 starts this term and carries a pedestrian 5.23 ERA and 1.60 WHIP.

The Astros’ iffy form continues

The Houston Astros have been pretty inconsistent so far this month, dropping ten of their first 19 games despite a sharp 3.07 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and .226 batting average. They’ve posted the fifth-best OPS in the majors in August (.791), still scoring just 95 runs in the process.

The Astros had some stellar offensive displays, beating Seattle 15-1 and 12-3. However, nine of their ten losses this month came by one or two runs, so the Astros will look to improve in further days and stay atop of the AL West.

Luis Garcia will take the hill for the Astros this Tuesday, and the 24-year-old talented righty is 9-6 with a 3.39 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 21 starts and a couple of relief appearances in 2021. Garcia tossed five frames of a three-run ball and took a no-decision in a 6-3 win at the Royals this past Thursday. He’s struggled a bit as of late, posting a 5.33 ERA and a .271 batting average against over his previous five starts.

Trends:

Kansas City:

  • 5-12 in the last 17 games against Houston

Houston:

  • 4-1 in the last five games at home
  • 5-2 in Luis Garcia’s last seven starts

Kansas City Royals vs. Houston Astros Pick

The Astros desperately need to break out of their patchy form, and I’m expecting them to get things going offensively in this one. Brady Singer held them to a couple of runs last week, and this time, the Astros’ bats will seek revenge.

Singer has been awful for most of the season, so I doubt his chances to torture one of the best offensive teams in the league for two straight starts. Also, the Astros will look to extend their dominance on the mound, and the Royals’ offense is far away from an elite level. Houston’s last 16 wins came by two or more runs, so give me the hosts to cover.

    

Royals vs. Astros Pick : Astros -1.5 Runs

The Total:

Luis Garcia will try to build up his form, but the Royals should be able to score a couple of runs off the Astros’ starting pitcher. The Astros can always rely on their bullpen that has registered a 3.51 ERA and 3.78 FIP over the last two weeks, while the Royals ‘pen has a decent 3.71 ERA and nice 3.49 FIP in that span.

Anyway, Brady Singer will have a tall task to put on another strong performance against the Astros, who has scored 40 runs over their last five outings at Minute Maid Park.

Royals vs. Astros Total : Over 9