The Rangers (90-72, 40-41 away) travel to take on the Astros (90-72, 39-42 home) in game one of this AL West matchup. Nathan Eovaldi is getting the start for the Rangers while Framber Valdez is starting for the Astros. See who I like to pick up the win in today’s Texas Rangers vs. Houston Astros showdown at Minute Maid Park.

TEXAS RANGERS VS HOUSTON ASTROS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Texas Rangers +103

This game will be played at Minute Maid Park at 8:03 ET on Sunday, October 22nd.

WHY BET THE TEXAS RANGERS:

  • Over their last ten games on the road, Texas has a straight-up record of 7-3.
  • In their last ten games as the underdog, the Rangers have put together a record of 7-3.
  • In Nathan Eovaldi’s four most recent starts, the Rangers are 3-1.

TEXAS RANGERS SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR ROAD RECORD

For the season, the Rangers have an overall record of 90-72, placing them 1st in the AL West. Against other AL West opponents, they are 29-23 along with going 50-31 and 40-41 at home and on the road, respectively. So far, they have played a total of 53 series, going 32-19-2.

Nathan Eovaldi of the Texas Rangers has had a successful season thus far, boasting an overall record of 12-5 and an ERA of 3.62. His ERA on the road is 4.23, while it rises to 5.12 when pitching at home. The right-hander’s WHIP for the year is 1.14, with opposing teams batting .221 against him and slugging .375.

Nathan Eovaldi earned a quality start and the win in his most recent outing, as the Rangers defeated the Astros 5-4. The right-hander allowed three runs on five hits over six innings of work.

Over their last ten games, the Rangers are ranked 14th in the league in scoring at 4 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).

The Rangers’ offense has been bolstered this season by Marcus Semien, who has a .276 batting average and 100 RBIs. His 29 home runs have also been a major factor in the team’s success.

WILL THE HOUSTON ASTROS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Coming in with an overall record of 90-72, the Astros are winners of five straight games. Through 52 series, they are 28-19-5 and in 2nd place in the AL West. At home, they have gone 39-42 compared to 51-30 on the road.

Framber Valdez enters the game with a 12-11 record and 3.46 ERA. He has been more successful on the road, where he has an 8-3 record and 3.80 ERA in 15 appearances. At home, his mark is 4-10 with a 4.99 ERA. His season-long WHIP is 1.13, while opponents have hit .225 against him and slugged .360.

Framber Valdez seeks to rebound from a brief performance against the Rangers. In Houston’s 5-4 defeat, the left-hander allowed five runs in 2 2/3 innings of action.

So far this season, the Astros’ has gone deep 222 times, placing them 6th in the league. Over Houston’s previous five games, they are 14th in runs scored, with their season average of 5.1 runs per game putting them 5th in the league. The Astros’ overall team batting average stands at .259 along with an OBP of .331.

Jose Altuve has been a major force for the Astros’ offense this season, leading the team in home runs with 17. In the last five games alone, he has hit two homers and boasts a batting average of .311.