Framber Valdez will get the start for the Astros (82-62, 37-35 home) as they host the Athletics (44-99, 20-52 away) at Minute Maid Park. The Athletics will give the starting nod to Mason Miller. Check out my prediction for game one of this AL West matchup between the Oakland Athletics and Houston Astros.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS VS HOUSTON ASTROS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Oakland Athletics +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Minute Maid Park at 8:10 ET on Monday, September 11th.

WHY BET THE OAKLAND ATHLETICS:

  • In their last three games, the Athletics have gone 2-1 vs. the runline.
  • Over their last three games on the road, Oakland is 2-1 against the runline.
  • Opponents are hitting just .108 against Mason Miller in his last two starts.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS LOOKING FOR UPSET AS ROAD UNDERDOGS

Heading into today’s game, the Athletics are 5th in the AL West on an overall record of 44-99. So far, they have played in 44 series, and are below .500 at 11-31-2. This season, the Athletics are 24-47 at home and 20-52 on the road.

Mason Miller will take the mound for the Athletics with an 0-2 record this season. He has made five appearances so far, and his ERA is 3.09. His K/9 rate is 9.64, while his FIP is 2.83 and OBP is .245.

Mason Miller’s last outing was a bit of a challenge, as he surrendered no runs on no hits in two frames. Nevertheless, Miller managed to dodge a defeat in the Athletics’ 5-2 triumph over the Blue Jays.

For the season, the Athletics are 19th in batting average, hitting a combined .225. Over their last ten games, they have hit .255 which is 7th in that span. Oakland’s average of 3.7 runs per game puts them 27th in the league. In terms of home runs, they have gone deep 151 times and have a team slugging percentage of .373.

Zack Gelof has been a major contributor to the Oakland offense this season, boasting a .273 batting average and .530 slugging percentage. Over the past ten games, he has been especially impressive, leading the team in hits with a .311 average.

WILL THE HOUSTON ASTROS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Winners of two straight games, the Astros are in 1st place in the AL West. So far, they have a series win percentage of 60% (24-16-4). Houston has gone 45-27 on the road this season compared to 37-35 at home.

The Astros will send Framber Valdez to the mound, boasting an 11-9 record. The southpaw has been on a roll lately, allowing three or fewer earned runs in his last three outings. His ERA stands at 3.30 and FIP is 3.47, while opponents have a .355 slugging percentage against him. Valdez has also racked up 168 strikeouts so far this season.

Framber Valdez’s most recent start was a success, as he led his team to a 14-1 victory over the Rangers. The left-hander tossed seven innings of one-run ball, allowing six hits in the process. His efforts earned him a quality start and the win.

Across their last ten games, the Astros’ offense is 2nd in batting average, leading to an average of 7.4 runs per contest in that span. Overall, they are the 5th ranked scoring offense and posted a season-long OPS of .770 on 198 (7th).

The Astros have seen José Abreu at the top of their offensive production in their last five games, with two home runs. Across the entire season, Abreu has totaled 14 long balls and holds a .238 batting average.